If you asked me what my “why” was,
the short answer would be my son—oriaK.
But the long answer?
That belongs to my dad.
My dad gave everything he had—
for the family he was born into,
and the family he built with my mom.
I always knew he never finished school.
I assumed it was college.
But this year… I found out it was high school.
Not because he didn’t want to finish.
But because he couldn’t.
His family was struggling.
They needed him.
So he dropped out.
Started selling whatever he could,
just to keep food on the table.
He sacrificed his own dreams
so we could have a chance at ours.
And that’s why I can’t let any of it go to waste.
I have to push harder.
Dream bigger.
Do better.
Not just for oriaK…
but for the man who gave up everything
so I could stand where I am today.
He gave me the foundation
so I could build the life he never got to have.
The hardest part?
Knowing he’s not here to see it.
To see the life he fought so hard for finally coming together.
To see that all of his sacrifices… were worth it.
This is for him.
For oriaK.
For every late night, every hard choice,
every dream he set aside so I could chase mine.
For every time he went to bed hungry
so his family could eat.
I refuse to let his sacrifices be in vain.
Eight years without you…
but you are the very reason
I am who I am today.
Miss na kita, Papa.....