Happy Birthday, Dad!

For those that do not know, my father passed away on Monday, November 4th around 3 PM. He was battling is second battle with lung cancer. My dad battled lung cancer for 10+ years and I just wanted to share my speech for my dad, that I wrote for him:

Hello, good morning/evening! My name is Kaleb Ly and I am Na’s youngest son. Today, I am here to say a little something about my dad. Today, I am going to share something about my father, as this weekend we are celebrating his life.

Most of you know my dad and some of you may not know my dad. Which is okay, whether you have a relationship with him or not, he still had an impact of some sort. My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and battled cancer twice over 10+ years. I can remember sitting in that room with the doctor’s office when he was telling the doctor what was going on. Now, I was a child back then and did not know what was going on or what cancer was. As I grew older, I started to comprehend what was going on and knew that my dad was an ultimate fighter. He was not only battling cancer, but he was also battling me, the troubled teenager/young adult and many other things as well. I can say, that my dad is the World Champion in fighting.

So, a few things that my dad has taught me that will be known as life lessons are: Love God, Love Your Family and Love Others. All these things have one word in common and that word is relationship. You have a relationship with God, a relationship with your family and a relationship with others, known or strangers. My dad always cared about his relationships with everyone know he knew, and he wanted what was best of everyone, especially those who he loves, such as his family. Honestly, if it wasn’t for my dad for pushing me to go to church, I have no clue where I would be at today. There I have created a relationship with God, thanks to me dad and I am serving at a local and national level. My relationship with my family, is all thanks to my dad, because he always cared for us and took care of us. Yes, as his son I would argue with him, what son does not argue with is father, but he always analyzed and knew what the next steps were to take care of his family. His legacy has impacted his family and is being exemplified in our family after his death. Lastly, loving others, my dad would make it a mission to attend to others in need of help, giving them hospitality or by providing for them and showing them love, but not just any love, God’s love.

To some of you, my dad may just be a good man or a humble man. But to me, he is my dad, a dad who is the World Champion in ultimate fighting, a man who has impacted not only my life but also the life of his family with what he has taught all of us before and after cancer, and before and after his death. He was and forever will be my dad. Dad, you have raised three amazing sons, who you got to see grow up. Two of them have families of their own, and I just want you to rest. If I know one thing, you were a man who was always on the go and a man who could never rest when work needed to be done. It is time to rest now! I love you, dad!

He was the greatest dad, and anyone could ask for. I thank God for blessing me with a dad like him. I will forever miss you, and I love you. You will never meet your first grandchild, future daughter-in-law in person or watch your youngest son graduate college, but you are with God and He is telling you about what is to come for your family. You can see you grandchildren and your future daughter-in-law. Your life will still be remembered as you are no longer, physically, here. Thank you for everything and I miss and love you, Happy Birthday Dad!

-Kaleb Ly, The King of Aces