“You’ll never make me proud”. My father told me this after my high school football career came to an end after losing in the playoffs. While I’m bawling my eyes out because one of the few things i loved had just ended, he said that. “I would’ve been 10 times better than you ever could’ve been”. I literally continued playing after tearing both my rotator cuffs, tearing a hamstring, and played through 3 concussions in one season because I didn’t want to miss a game in my last season. I loved football so much. It kept me sane, and made me feel like I fit in for once in my life. Then here’s my dad telling me that in front of all my teammates and their parents, and he just left. Nobody came and told me it’d be alright, nobody held me, nobody spoke up. That was when I realized I didn’t truly fit in or have any real friends. It was those sentences that has kept me up countless nights crying, shaking, and just altogether wondering why I’m still here. I’ve since made some life changes and am very happy with where I’m at. I’ve got an amazing fiancé with amazing parents who help me and support me when I need it. They’re the most important people in my life and I’d give anything for them