I never imagined that my father could pass away...June 11th was the beginning of the end.

Five years ago today I received a phone call from my sister Teresa.

“Kenny? Are you sitting down?”

I wasn’t sitting down. I was getting ready to leave my loft in downtown Kansas City to go see a baseball game on what I figured was going to be a quiet Friday evening. It ended up being anything but.

My sister continued.

“Dad had a mild heart attack and…”

I didn’t hear the remainder of her sentence. I was in shock. Absolute shock. Growing up I never once fathomed that something serious could befall either of my parents. They were invulnerable, invincible and would live forever. Suddenly I was face to face with the realization that they were both mortal. Worse yet, this event with Dad was just beginning.

Growing up I never once fathomed that something serious could befall either of my parents. They were invulnerable, invincible and would live forever.

Teresa told me that everyone was heading up to the hospital where Dad had been taken and I told her that I would meet them all there.

My girlfriend at the time was on her way over to my place so that we could go to the Royals game. I sat in silence for a few minutes alone with my thoughts before calling her to let her know that there had been a change in plans. By the time she arrived I had lived a lifetime in my head thinking about Dad’s age, relative health (which had been fine) and a line he once told me when he was past retirement age and still working: “Oh, I don’t plan on retiring. They’ll just find me dropped dead at my desk some morning, hopefully with my current project completed.” Even the precursor of death had been presented to me with comedy while growing up. I just wasn’t prepared at all.

When Leah arrived I explained to her that we were going to be heading to Liberty Hospital and asked her if she was “ready.” She nodded. I added “Good…” and then the rush of emotions that I had kept bottled up inside of me until this point in time came out in full force. I managed to squeak “…because I’m not (ready for this)” before breaking down and sobbing.

Although I didn’t know for sure how this event would play out, I had a creeping feeling in the back of my mind that Dad’s time was about to come. I had no idea that in sixteen days I would never see or speak to him again.

I hate June 11th.