Today Is National Son’s And Daughter’s Day, Blake And Brittni

In my twenties I never was a guy who wanted children.  At least not so early in my life.  Children are a huge responsibility.  A refrigerator comes with a manual, children don't. And I knew I wasn't prepared mentally or financially.  Newsflash, one is never prepared.  As fate would have it, Deborah and I, now divorced, were blessed with two of the most incredible beings ever created by the hands of God.

Clinton "Blake" Clements, 29, named after his Grandpa Phelps (Deborah's father), is a Samsung representative for Best Buy in Lafayette.  He is quiet, funny, honest, hardworking, caring, and has a heart of gold.  He's not flashy, doesn't wear designer clothes, and is happiest and most comfortable around family.  My mother, now deceased, and Blake were very close.  She loved her Blaker.  They spoke almost everyday on the phone.  Blake came along 6 years before his sister.  He was an only child for a spoiled 6 years.

Blake is a unique soul, an old soul.  Many days, he gives me advice, as though he's the parent.  He played baseball when he was younger, enjoys music, plays piano, likes older television shows and loves animals.  He's a homebody.  He'd much rather be home than in a crowd.  However, he will be the first one in the car when a concert is in town.  As a young boy Patti LaBelle picked him up and called him a beautiful child before giving him a big kiss, on his 13th birthday the legendary Tina Turner sang him happy birthday, tweets with Cher every now and then and has an autographed picture to him from Betty White.  New artists don't really excite him.  If you believe in reincarnation, Blake has been here before.

Clinton "Blake" Clements changed my life as a man and taught me how it feels to receive the greatest gift a man could ever receive.  It's Father's Day every time I see my son.

Mary "Brittni" Clements, 22, named after my mother, is the hero of our family.  Brittni can do anything she puts her mind to.  If she thinks it, she does it and does it well.  She plays piano, is an award winning gymnast, put herself through college (TOPS), was on the UL track team (pole vault), has a degree in Physical Therapy, interned at Disney World in Orlando, was hired by Disney and was working there when diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (APL) High Risk February 11, 2016.

The news of Brittni's cancer, rocked our family.  She spent a total of 41 days in the hospital in Florida where without proper treatment would have died in 3 to 4 days as cancer cells were multiplying rapidly.  Brittni's story went around the world through social media.  In the hospital she had her own mail cart, celebrities were holding up Team Brittni signs and coming to visit, prompting the hospital staff to ask, "Who are you people?".

The outpouring of love, prayers, donations and generosity from people all over the world, especially in Acadiana, has been overwhelming to our family.  As of just a few weeks ago, Brittni is now in remission.

Brittni may not be much taller than 5 feet, but has the strength and drive of a giant.  Through her entire life, she's never been a complainer, doesn't like conflict, is drawn to people who make her laugh and is the brightest beacon of light that's ever graced this planet.  And is stunningly beautiful, hair or no hair.

Brittni continues to battle cancer.  She currently takes 3 oral chemo medications, has to get her blood tested every week and has to enter Moffitt Cancer Center every 3 months for bone marrow biopsies for the next 2 years.  She plans on furthering her education by returning to UL to enter the nursing program.

For a guy who in his twenties, wasn't ready for the responsibility of having children, I would be lost without them.  Blake and Brittni are the most important part of my life.  God knew what he was doing.  On the days and nights when I thought I didn't want to go on, Blake and Brittni gave me reason to wake up the next day.  I can't begin to tell you how proud and honored I am to be the father of these two very uniquely different and special individuals.  There is nothing more important to me in the world.

The walls of my heart belong to Clinton "Blake" Clements and Mary "Brittni" Clements.

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