Who I'm Looking Up To: My Dad

With Father’s Day just around the corner, this week I’m talking about my dad, someone I am always looking up to. One positive about being a little person: I will always be daddy’s little girl. No matter how old I got, I never outgrew his lap. He could always pick me up and dance me around the room. He was 6’01”, I am 4’00”, and we fit together perfectly. 

I write of my father in the past tense because he is no longer with me. He passed away in October of 2015. 

Michael Scott Curwin was a lot of things. He was a husband, a father, a son. He was the oldest of four brothers, and the one who got in the most trouble (he said so himself). He was a loving uncle to his eleven nieces and nephews, making sure to wish each one a happy birthday at exactly midnight. He was a prosecutor- a soldier fighting for justice in the courtroom day after day for nearly 30 years. He was a walking encyclopedia, knowing nearly everything about every sports team, space missions, historical event, etc. 

While I didn’t inherit his height genes, he did pass down his love of sports, his appreciation for the arts and his endless curiousity. He taught me to give everything a chance from music to movies to experiences and everything in between. He’s the reason why my favorite movie is Apollo 13, we must have watched it over 100 times. He would never turn down a request to have a catch in the backyard or ride our bikes from Bethany Beach to Ocean City and back. 

My dad never allowed me to say, “I can’t because I’m a dwarf.” Always the lawyer, he taught me to be an advocate for myself, to insist on being treated like “one of the guys”. With his unwavering support I climbed mountains, earned my Zumba instructor certification, became an athletic trainer for a D-1 football team. He was there for every dance recital (even though he would show up right before the music started and leave as soon as I left the stage) and softball game, teaching me how to keep score when I could no longer play. He travelled over 1,000 miles just to watch me on the sidelines, although he really just wanted to be there for Yulman Stadium’s opening game. He saved every certificate earned and trophy won, even if it was just for participation. 

Perhaps the biggest lesson my father taught me was to never surrender in pursuit of what is right, to never abandon those you represent. He was described by a colleague as "A tireless advocate...a true gentleman who sought justice in every case he handled." He was a man who never, ever gave up. 

Thank you daddy for continuing to inspire me. I love you, I miss you, and Happy Father’s Day.