A Letter to My Father

Father's Day 2025

---

Dad,

You taught me that family comes first.
Not in words alone, but in every choice you made,
Every tennis match you attended despite often working multiple jobs,
Every standard you refused to lower
Because you believed I could be more.

You were never just my friend—
And I'm grateful for that distance.
You knew your role was not to be chill,
Not to be lenient,
But to push me toward greatness
Even when I wanted to just coast through life.

You worked so hard
That showing up was never a question.
While other kids wondered if their parents would come,
I wondered why you cared so much
About me winning tournaments
Instead of just trying.
Now I know—
Why compete if you don't believe you can win?

Today you're in China,
Not for vacation or adventure,
But because family comes first.
Taking care of your mother,
Taking care of mom's parents,
Being the man of the household
On two continents.

You'd rather be in Vegas playing tennis,
But you know what duty requires.
You've dealt with complicated family,
Mental health struggles,
The weight of being responsible
For everyone's flourishing.

Because of you,
I never grew up in a household
Where I wasn't put first.
Sometimes it was frustrating
To be held to such high standards,
But now I'm someone who can stand on any stage
And tell anyone—
Even presidents—
Your standards aren't high enough.

Because of you,
I know what it means to be a man.
To sacrifice for family.
To work without excuses.
To push people toward their potential
Even when they resist.

Your English wasn't perfect.
China's parenting resources weren't ideal.
But you tried to get every part right.
You did the best you could
With what you had
To create a life where your kids could flourish.

There's zero chance I'd be where I am
Without your refusal to let me settle.
Without your example of family first.
Without your high standards
That became my high standards.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

The role I play in life—
Motivating others,
Being a male role model,
Telling people to be better—
It all comes from you.

Family first.
Always.

With love and gratitude,
Gary