Tessa's Dad

A hero is someone you can count on. Someone who will always be there for you. A hero is someone you love and trust. For the most part heroes are the to protect you in anything you do. If you don't feel close to this person then they are not your hero. Also heroes set examples for people to follow in a good way.

I strongly feel it's important to have a hero. I feel this way because a hero is your base support. When I say base support I mean when you have support from someone you love then you will be able to do anything. Also, I feel many people need a hero to keep them going in the right direction. A lot of high school students who don't have a hero tend to drop out or make really poor choices.

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In the novel "Before I Die" the character that portrays the characteristics of a hero is Tessa's dad. "Give me the pain"(Downham36) is what Tessa's dad tells her when she is in the hospital getting a shot. That line shows that he is there for his daughter. When Tessa gets her shot that's what he tell her so that way she is less scared. "Every night me and your mum let you in because you were lonely."(Downham43) When Tessa's dad said that to her he was talking about when she was lonely at night he would let her in because he didn't want his daughter to feel alone. This shows that he cares for her. "Being positive strengthens the immune system."(Downham44) When Tessa's dad says this he is trying to support her. Although Tessa was mad when he said this he was only trying to show her support and giving her positive comments. Throughout the whole book Tessa's dad is trying his hardest to show her how much he loves her.

In my opinion, I feel that you should induct Tessa's dad as a hero. In the book "Before I Die" Tessa's dad does anything for her and to help her. As she struggles with her cancer Tessa has a list of things she wants to do before she dies. One thing on her list is to travel the world. Tessa's dad buys her a ticket to Sicily so that she travels to the other side of the world. Tessa's dad went out of his way to help her accomplish all of the things on her list. There was one time that Tessa was in the hospital and she asked for a Popsicle and he said that he would buy her 500 if she wanted. Her dad cares for her very much and he makes sure nothing happens to her.

Q: How did you feel when your daughter was diagnosed with cancer?

A: I felt very broken, like I was going to lose her. I have now learned to deal with it and just enjoy the time I have with her in hopes that she gets better.

Q: What were your thoughts to some of the actions Tessa took part in?

A: My thoughts were to be angry but then I realized that it would take time away from being with her vs. not being mad but correcting the problem and continuing on spending time with her.

Q: When you found out about Tessa's list, what did you think about it?

A: I thought the list was weird but a good idea. I felt that this was going to be a good opportunity for her to do things unimaginable.

Q: On Tessa's list she had for you and her mum to get back together, what was your first thought?

A: My first thought was why would she want that to be. Then I realized that she is much happier when we are together.

Q: Out of all the obstacles that came with Tessa's cancer what was the hardest to overcome?

A: The hardest obstacle to overcome was that fact that my little girl has cancer. I never thought that my daughter would have any issues like this.

Q: Every time Tessa had to go to the hospital, what was racing in your mind?

A: Every single time i would ask myself "is she going to be ok?" Then I would say "she is going to be fine" to help myself calm down.

Q: Was Cal helpful when things were tough with Tessa?

A: Cal was very helpful a numerous amount of times.

Q: As a dad and you're sick, what problems do you encounter?

A: As a dad there are many problems that occur. There are bills, trying to make money, taking care of another child, and being able to hang out with my friends.

Q: Do you get support or help from any other family members?

A. The only other person that helps me is Tessa's mum. The only thing she does is take Tessa and one time she took her to the hospital.

Q: About how many hours do you and Tessa spend together a day?

A: We probably spend about 13 hours a day together.