December 8th: A Day I’ll Never Forget

In Ireland, December 8th holds a special place on the calendar. It’s a traditional Christmas shopping day, a moment when streets buzz with people and shops hum with festive cheer. For me, December 8th is something else entirely. It’s the day I lost my dad. Fourteen years ago and I am still grieving the loss of my father.

Some days, it feels like a lifetime has passed. Other times, it feels like yesterday.

A Daddy’s Girl to the Core

Growing up, I was a tomboy. But more than anything, I was a daddy’s girl.

My dad, Michael, wasn’t just my father. He was my hero. The person who always made me feel safe, capable, and loved.

He taught me how to fix a bike chain, to wire a plug, to never back down from a challenge, and that family always comes first. His laugh and wide smile lit up any room, and his advice still echoes in my mind today.

Losing him didn’t just change my life. It reshaped who I am.

The Loneliness of Grief

Grief is universal. Everyone experiences it at some point in their life.

But it’s also deeply personal. No two people grieve in the same way.

When I lost my dad, the world didn’t stop. People went on with their lives. Christmas lights stayed lit. Life carried on.

For me, it felt like I was in a bubble, cut off from everyone else. Grief has a way of isolating you. Even when you’re surrounded by people, the pain is yours to carry.

Physical Pain vs Emotional Pain

As a child, I experienced more physical pain than most. Surgeries, procedures, hospital stays — they were part of my life.

But I would go through all of it again if it meant not having to feel the emotional pain of losing my dad.

Physical pain is temporary. It can be treated, managed, healed. Emotional pain lingers. It doesn’t go away. You carry it with you, even when you think you’ve moved forward.

Grief Comes in Waves

People talk about the “stages of grief,” but it’s never that simple.

For me, grief feels like waves. Some days, the tide is low, and I can move through life almost normally.

Other days, it’s like a tsunami. Something small—a song, a smell, a memory—can bring it all flooding back.

It’s unpredictable. And that’s what makes it so hard to explain to someone who hasn’t been through it.

Keeping His Memory Alive

This isn’t a sad story. It’s a love story.

This blog is owed to the greatest man I’ve ever known. My dad, Michael.

He taught me more in the years we had together than I could ever put into words.

Even now, I feel his presence in the decisions I make and the person I strive to be. He’s always missed. Forever loved.

If you’ve ever lost someone, you know what it’s like. It doesn’t matter how much time passes. The love you had for them doesn’t fade.

I want to hear about your journey. What helped you? What made it harder?

Grief doesn’t need to be lonely. Share your story with others. You never know who might need to hear it. Here are some resources to check out navigating the loss of a loved one.

Let’s keep their memories alive together.

Check out other blogs from Avril here.