Super sorry to here this, Chris. I lost my dad on Thanksgiving Day of 2015.
2 years prior to that, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and we were given a timeline of 18 months. It financially broke my family here, but I flew back East very often. Sometimes for 2 weeks, and sometimes for a few days. I flew down for 48 hours to surprise him on his birthday. He died 2 weeks later and I'm forever grateful for making that trip. You're very fortunate to be in the same city as he is right now.
Some key advice I received, and lots of it came from a post here too:
Spending as much time with him as possible is a given, but talk lots. The letter is a great idea. Tell him how much of a great father he is. Tell him that you attribute your own passion for fatherhood because of how he raised you. Talk about great memories that you'll always remember. Laugh as much as you can together.
Get your dads voice recorded. Maybe for those letters to your kids? Letting them hear his voice again later on will mean the world to you all.
Best of luck to ya. If you ever need to PM a total stranger, I'm all ears.
Don't forget to take care of yourself too. Physically and emotionally. It's super important.
Thoughts are with ya and wishing your the best of luck through this tough journey.
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