Hi Peace Family! It’s Jami Mayberry and to celebrate Father’s Day I thought I would post a photo of my father and I taken June 5th, 2015. He is now in assisted living care and I saw him during my recent trip home to Amarillo. What a long and winding road we have walked! In short, my father abandoned our family when I was 4 years old to be more free to pursue his career in radio. Yes, I said radio.When I was a freshman at Texas A&M I got my first radio job and the boss told me I was a natural…that I was doing things naturally that can’t be taught and I should consider a career in radio. I was thrilled to hear that. However, my mother wasn’t. She had to remind me that my father was a radio DJ. What???!! I had not remembered that.
So…I found my father to tell him I got the radio gene and was going into radio as a career. I found him in Los Angeles doing very well. Remarried and an award winning DJ in country music. As a matter of fact, he won the Academy of Country Music’s DJ of the Year in 1971. I established a relationship with him that stands to this day. I am his only child to go into radio. Usually on my birthday I will call him and say, “Thanks for the vocal cords!” 🙂 You see, I got my warm voice from him.
He has been in poor health for about 5 years now. I faithfully send him birthday, Christmas and Father’s Day cards and called often to talk. But it’s difficult. He has a bit of Alzheimer Disease and doesn’t always remember things. I know this trip he recognized me because he cried and asked about my cancer. I told him I was cancer free and I didn’t want him to worry about me because I was healthy again.
What a joy to see him and hug his neck. For better or worse, he is my father. I love him.
For better or worse I hope you get the chance to wish your Dad a Happy Father’s Day this year. Even if you have to go to a care facility or cemetery to do it.
