The most valuable lesson my dad has ever taught me ...was actually the most recent one.

My dad met my Uncle Dewayne in middle school no blood relation, but he'’s part of my family.

And every single morning since they were kids, my uncle would call my dad and say-— GATE CHECK!

It'’s my Uncle'’s way of making sure my dad is what he calls "“Out the gate"” Meaning: "“alive, awake, and on his way to work.

"” Gate Check, old man.

They heard a joke in a movie once that sparked the idea, and eventually - GATE CHECK, FOOL!

Became their daily routine -— their best bud wake up call.

So over the years...through weddings, graduations, birthdays, divorces, and all of the many things life will throw at us my dad'’s one constant was those two words.

Gate Check!

Haha, alright!

Gate check!

You know that old saying, "“You are who you surround yourself with?

"” That must make my dad a pretty hilarious, compassionate, giving superhero who makes mistakes just like anybody else.

Because that'’s my Uncle Dewayne.

They'’re two superheroes who don'’t have it all figured out, but they'’ll never let you know that.

Because whatever you need, even if they don'’t know how to get it they'’ll find a way to help that'’s what superheroes do.

One day, my dad had a crazy nightmare that I died.

It wasn'’t true, of course.

But when he woke up in a sweat he realized his phone hadn'’t rang.

So he calls my Uncle to make sure he'’s "“out the gate"” but he doesn'’t answer.

Not long after my Aunt calls: Jay Dewayne won'’t wake up So my dad immediately drives from Georgia to North Carolina and sees my cousins, my aunt, and my aunts mom surrounding my uncle who'’s lying in a hospital bed unresponsive.

The doctors say he may have had a stroke in his sleep but they weren'’t quite sure what it was.

After a few visits driving back and forth my dad sat on the bed next to my Uncle grabbed his hand and said Gate Check?

Come on, D that'’s our thing Gate Check.

Look, I'’m not ready for you to go.

But if you'’re holdin'’ on cuz you'’re afraid the kids won'’t be taken care of you know I'’ll be there for 'em Cuz that'’s what we do.

But before you go all I'’m asking is for you to grab my hand to tell me that you can hear me, okay?

Come on, D. Just grab my hand.

And he did That gave us all hope for about another week.

But then my uncle was gone.

Throughout all of this I may have talked to my dad on the phone 3 times it was hard.

Superheroes don'’t get sad.

So when I'’d hear my dad'’s voice before and after my uncle passed on the anniversary of my Grandpa passing my dad'’s dad I would hang up and cry because he'’d been crying.

I didn'’t have the courage to keep calling, so I made this instead.

Because the most valuable lesson my dad has ever taught me is that every moment counts.

Every memory...counts.

That losing your best friend hurts no matter what.

No matter if you'’re 23 and lose them over a girl.

If you'’re 50 and lose them to their own body or if you'’re a superhero whose partner suddenly had to put away his cape.

We should surround ourselves with amazing souls and strive to be so amazing ourselves that they'’d wanna call us every single morning just to make sure we'’re out the gate.

Gate Check, Pop.