Children are completely and utterly dependent on their parents, and it isn’t until they begin relying on themselves that they receive a taste of adulthood. For me, this transition was no accomplishment, but rather an event that shaped, and continues to shape, who I am as a person. When I was fourteen, just a few days after Christmas, my father collapsed at work and was rushed to the hospital. There, doctors discovered that he had a brain tumor which had been pressing on his brain stem, ultimately leading to his seizure. They determined that radiation would shrink the tumor and hopefully, no more major issues would occur. As I was young, I did not fully grasp the seriousness of this medical problem. I knew that it was bad, but I had never seen it affect my dad. To me, he was still my invulnerable dad and nothing had really changed. These thoughts were only strengthened with his quickly improving health. Unfortunately, no matter how things seem to be going, life always has a way of surprising you. …show more content…
This day, however, wasn’t even remotely average. It turned out to be one of the worst days of my life, a day that made me grow up rather quickly. As I came into my home through the garage, I noticed that my father’s car was there, which was unusual. I came in the door and yelled for him, but I heard no response in return. I continued to call for him as I looked through each of the rooms to see if he was really home. With each unreturned call and empty room, I became more and more anxious. I still hadn’t heard anything by the time I got to the final room: my parents’ bedroom. I pushed open the door and finally found my