Photo Caption:My dad, as a wee tot at his parent's farm, and at his 70th birthday party two years ago.
Tell us a little about your Dad and what they mean to you.:My father means countless things to me. He is the person who’s had the most profound influence of my life. If I am a painting, he is the artist. Anything that is positive in my person would be found in him. My dad is the single greatest person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in this world.
When Art Korbie came into the life of my mother Sandra, he took in her two daughters as his own. My dad has always shown me the ethics of work, dedication, and integrity through his years of service in providing for our family. I remember countless nights of dad not returning home while he was on the road, due to him being a long-haul truck driver, or at other parts in my life, having bloodied and bruised hands from countless hours working as a mechanic. From a young age, I understood that this was a sacrifice, one made with a smile and a laugh for our family. Enduring chronic pain and three back surgeries throughout a ten year span, he never complained. He has always cared more about the family, even when in pain, than himself. He is truly one of the most selfless people I have ever known, taking in friends of mine or my sister's who have gone through difficult family situations and stepped in as a surrogate father. He would make lunches, drive them to school, make beds on couches, drive them to doctors appointments, and give bear hugs. During bitter winters, dad would wake up early to put our winter jackets in the dryer to make sure they were warm before we walked to the bus stop. My father would truly give the shirt off his back to a stranger on the street without a second thought. This can be demonstrated in his service as a volunteer firefighter in Tofield Alberta, when he was younger.
My dad is also a delight. He brings joy and smiles whenever he goes. Silly voices, funny faces--- taking a normal photo with him is practically impossible. The man cannot be seen without a cup of coffee in his hands, and the first photo with his newborn baby girl was posing with the coffee cup and the baby. Dad always tries to find joy and light in situations; enjoying simplicity in nature and life. Camping, watching nature, and "putzing" as his family calls it, is where dad finds most joy. His voicemail is him pretending to be a leprechaun. In his backyard, he tends to the neighborhood bush bunnies, and watches them grow throughout the summer-- cutting up apples as treats and talking to them.
On May 4th, it was revealed that what was initially suspected to be a hernia, was likely to be a cancerous tumor. On May 12th, my dad was rear-ended on the Trans Canada Highway after running errands by a City of Medicine Hat truck, which totaled my parents SUV. On June 4th, it was confirmed that dad had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Despite all this, he is still concerned about his family, his wife and daughters, the bush bunnies-- everyone but his own care. Convincing him to slow down to focus on his own care and recovery is a struggle, especially for a man who has done and given so much for others all his life.
This man means everything to me, and so much more.