06/21/2026
This picture is the photo my dad sent me when he revealed in a letter that he had cancer.
He was going through chemotherapy, and I remember looking at the picture before reading the letter and being shocked that he was bald.
Less than six months later, he passed away as the cancer aggressively took over his body. I was only 13 years old, and my entire life changed in ways unimaginable.
I learned about loss and grief at a very young age. That’s one of the reasons I am resilient, determined, grateful, and full of life today.
This man played a major role in my life, and that continued even after his passing because of the things he instilled in me. My uncles and brother-in-law picked up the torch after his tragic passing. I never went without anything because of the men who stepped in and became father figures in my life.
To my dad, Willie Nallin Walker—
Thank you for teaching me to be exactly who I am and to never play small.
Thank you for teaching me how to dream BIG.
Thank you for all the art lessons, the daddy-daughter outings, the pep talks, and the random boxes of shoes you would send me. I used to get so excited when those boxes showed up. 🤣
You’ve been gone 33 years now, but you live on through everything you instilled in me.
Happy Heavenly Father’s Day. ❤️
