The author discusses how his father was his hero growing up but became addicted to drugs after facing personal problems. As a result, the author has not seen his father in over 4 years and went from wanting to emulate him to hating him. However, his father now serves as motivation for the author to be a better role model for his own brother.

1. By: Gary Bitter

2.  My father’s effect on my life
 How I told my family & friends about him
 How I reacted to their reactions

4.  My father was my hero
 He went through a rough point in his life, resulting in
a serious change.
 He chose to turn to drugs to solve his problems
 I haven’t seen my father in over 4 years

5.  I went from spending everyday with him and trying to
be him, to hating him.
 He now serves as my motivation to be everything he
wasn’t to my brother & I.

13.  Boggs, Wade. BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/wadebog
gs311617.html>.
 Longfellow, Henry W. "Adversity Quotes." –
Inspirational, Overcoming Adversity Quotes. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://quoteocean.com/adversity-
quotes/3>.
 Unknown. "Babble.com." Readers Respond on the State of
Today's Children. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.
<http://blogs.babble.com/kid-scoop/2012/02/19/the-
readers-respond-kids-today/>.
 Unknown. "Inspirationalquotes." Inspirationalquotes.
N.p., Apr. 09. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.
<http://inspirationalquotesg.com/>.