My Hero - My Daddy.

(Dad and Me)

Being Dads first born, I have always been very close to him. Though I hardly say it, and don't see my dad as often as I'd like, I love my dad to absolute pieces.

My dad is the funniest, most generous and loving dude I know. If I'm ever worried about anything, just talking to my dad calms me down. I know that if I was ever to get myself in to trouble, my dad would help me out.

I have so many sweet memories of growing up because of Dad. One of my favorite things we use to do when I was younger was this thing called 'Sumo belly' where we would both stand far apart, roll our tops up and run towards each other and bounce bellies like sumo wrestlers... Dad's nickname back then was 'Sumo Stu'. 

Growing up, my Dad was always the one I would cuddle up to if I was sad. Brought me up on the Bay City Rollers, Madness and the Beatles. He encouraged me to do what makes me happy, and even now with me having the worlds shittest job, he is still proud of me for making a living.
When my parents divorced, I remember pretending to be ill on days that I was with him just so that I could skive school and spend the day just me and him in his works van.

Back in November 2013, my dad was diagnosed with stage 3 brain cancer. That day was the worst day of my life so far. I remember getting a phone call saying that I was being picked up by my older step-sister and being taken down to my dads because they had something to tell me and my younger sister, and then I knew something horrible was going to be said, but I didn't think it would be the big C - especially a fat arse brain tumor.
That week my dad had an operation to remove just under half of the tumor. Before the operation they thought he had stage 4 (the worst, basically irreversible, a year to live) which was absolutely terrifying, but luckily it was stage 3.

I remember seeing him straight after his operation. It's horrible seeing someone who is your rock, so vulnerable. He had a massive bandage around his head, a small tube coming from his head draining blood, a shit ton of swelling around his eyes, and of course the dreaded catheter which he hated, and found terribly uncomfortable to pee in.

 He then went on to have radiotherapy, and then chemotherapy after that. Chemo was useless, he couldn't stomach much food, his immune system was at rock bottom and he was just constantly in hospital with all sort of illnesses. It was a horrible and stressful time. They gave up on chemo in the end, and all they can do now is just monitor it. It's all going good at the moment. The tumor hasn't grown any bigger.

Before all this, my dad was terrible for passing out in-front of the telly when people with bloody injuries came on, and now not much bothers him, as he had his head cut open from one ear nearly to the other, and has had so many blood tests, injections and IV's that even both hands and feet combined aren't enough to count! He was incredibly brave throughout it all. Dad made sure he put a brave face on in front of me and my younger sister, and turned serious things in to a joke, making light out of every situation.

(Dad and I after him finishing the Cardiff half
marathon)

During all this dad found small things very hard, walking long distances, tackling the stairs and some personal daily tasks, I mean having someone prodding on your brain is going to set you back a bit. (Though I'm sure dad enjoyed using a mobility scooter when going on outings!) He also lost his driving licence for two years. BUT in October 2015 my dad managed to complete the Cardiff half marathon, and I have never ever been so proud of him.

Dad is now working full time as a carer in a home after having two years off. He's finally got his butt back on the road and is doing amazing for himself, he makes me so very proud to be a Morris.

My dad is the best Dad in the whole wide world, and he is my hero.

Stuart Morris