June marks a significant date as it is the month that Isabella lost her fight to neuroblastoma. This year will be 5 years since we lost her to this horrible disease on June 28th, 2012. The Santos family has been through their ups and downs in dealing with losing a daughter, sister, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, niece and cousin. But as you have most likely noticed, they have persevered… and they lead the push to fight for kids with cancer in Isabella’s honor. This month we will be sharing both the happy and raw times as we celebrate Isabella’s spirt and the legacy she left behind.

He never takes it for granted…

Sophia, Grant, Isabella and Daddy

“Father’s Day is tough. I try my hardest to make the day special for Stuart. I know for me, Mother’s Day is hard and can at times be painful. I hate to have him experience the same pain. I always try to ask him what he wants to do but he answers don’t consist of much other than breakfast with the family. We do cards and gifts to tell Stuart how much we appreciate him… but it never feels like enough.

Just last night as the two of us sat at dinner alone, I asked him if he wanted to write something about Father’s Day. It’s a weird post for me to write because I’m sure I could never communicate what he is thinking. But Stuart is a talker, not a writer. He could talk for an hour about what he is feeling about Father’s Day, but cranking something out on paper just doesn’t happen easily for him.

The interesting thing he said that resonated with me was how he felt like Father’s Day is all about thanking your Father for all they do. But in fact, he doesn’t want to be thanked. Just the opposite really, he wants to say Thank you to all of us for the gift of being a Father. He said how thankful he was to be a Daddy to our kids and that is what this day means to him. It’s the best thing he has done with his life.

My kids are very lucky to have someone who considers his role a true gift and he never takes it for granted. I’m confident that our kids will always be amazing people because of Stuart’s role in their lives. You can always see the love my kids have for him in their eyes. He means the world to them all.” -Isabella’s Mommy

We can accomplish so much more if we fight cancer together.  Learn more about donating to the Isabella Santos Foundation.