Friend, my father wasn’t a wealthy man.

He was a janitor. I remember when my father worked seven days a week to keep the lights on in our small two-room house in Jacksonville. Having seven children to feed must’ve felt like an overwhelming task, but somehow he and my mother, a maid, made it work every time.

When I was in seventh grade, my class was going on a big trip to Washington, D.C. I was nervous to even ask my parents to go on the trip. Surely there were better things our money could go toward than sending me up the East Coast, but my parents, who did everything they could to make sure I reached my full potential, didn’t even bat an eye. 

My father asked for an advance on his paycheck to cover the cost of my plane ticket and, just a few weeks later, I visited D.C. for what would be the first of many, many more trips.

Friend, to this day I’m still amazed that my father was willing to sacrifice so much to send me on a seemingly inconsequential trip. I wonder what he would think if he saw me now, going into the U.S. Capitol with a cup of coffee and an unyielding determination to fight for good. I wonder if he knew that he might have changed the entire trajectory of my life by sending me on that trip.

But this is just one story of sacrifice from a father – and I’m sure that each of you reading this has a similar story to share about a loved one. That’s why this Father’s Day, I wanted to take a moment to honor fathers, husbands, parental figures and loved ones everywhere and say thank you for all your hard work. 

So from my family to yours, I hope you all have a very happy Father’s Day and feel extra loved today.

Thank you for sharing this day with me,

Val Demings