I can’t narrow it down to a family member, because there are too many of them who have had a positive impact on me.
Daryl made me more confident than I used to be. Before she came into my life, I was far more likely to doubt myself, hold back, or wonder whether I was enough. I’m still not where I want to be, but I’m much bolder than I once was, and a lot of that comes from having someone who believed in me and kept reminding me that I had more in me than I thought.
Lizzi has shown me what unconditional love looks like. She has simply been an extraordinary daughter, and watching the way she loves her son only reinforces that. The older she gets, the more I realize that somewhere along the way, I must have done something right, because she has become an extraordinary woman.
My mother taught me how to be a Christian by the way she treated people. She gave love and dignity freely, and people responded to that because they knew it was genuine. She also taught me something about how to leave this world with grace when the time comes — hopefully not too soon.
My dad taught me to love the news and to enjoy life. He could have a hard edge, but as the years pass, I remember less of that and more of his laughter, his humor, and the way he genuinely enjoyed the world around him.
And then there’s Sully, who made me a grandfather. Hearing that little voice say, “Hi, Papi,” can improve almost any day. There’s something about having a grandson that makes life feel both fuller and younger at the same time.
When I really think about it, the people who shaped me most each gave me something different — confidence, love, faith, joy, and perspective — and I’m grateful for all of it.
Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
