“Wait for the Lord’s help, be strong and brave." ~ Psalms
27:14
He’d have been a great a great
father is he hadn’t been addicted to crack.
The first time he saw his dad
smoke crack cocaine, Torii was seven years old. But that marked the beginning of a lifelong
struggle; the anguish of knowing the father he loved was a drug addict.
Torii’s childhood entailed living sans electricity and
having to scavenge for food in his crime riddled neighborhood. Poverty comes with addiction; all the
family’s money went to support his dad’s habit.
Addicts don’t think about anything else – not about family, friends or
career; they’ll lie, cheat and steal for a fix.
To this day Torii gets a sick feeling just thinking about
the times he and his brothers lived on nothing more than a loaf of white bread,
spreading ketchup or syrup between two slices to make the hunger go away. Or the times he slept on a towel when the old bedroom
mattress became too nauseating.
The boys often walked the streets, worrying about whether their
dad was alive or dead, only to find him stoned out of his mind at a crack house. They’d coax him back home, knowing all too well
the humiliation, fear and chaos of living with a dead beat dad.
His father's behavior gave him the inspiration to move
beyond his drug-infested ‘hood’ and build something positive out of his life. He also found strength and hope in Jesus
Christ.
Their mother’s faith kept the family together. She pleaded with them to be better fathers
than their own dad was to them. And
that's what Torii tried to do with his life.
Baseball became his safe haven – the one of the few places
he could put aside thoughts of his tortured past. Having played for the Angels, Twins, and Tigers,
Torri Hunter became a five-time All-Star and won nine consecutive Gold Glove
Awards. While noted for his spectacular outfield
catches, he wasn't too shabby on offense either, with 353 homers, 1,391 RBI’s
and 195 stolen bases. He retired from
the Major League after 19 professional seasons in 2015.
His faith allows him to forgive his dad. Hunter moved his father to Dallas where he
now lives, so he can watch over him and try to keep him from the drug culture (a
constant battle after nearly a dozen rehab stints).
Prayer helped him become a better father. He admits to spoiling his own kids “a
little.” But he also helped with
homework and held them to a strict moral standard. Because he didn’t have that growing up. Ironically, his dad taught him valuable
lessons without ever knowing it.
Father of us all, thank you for my Dad. Through the marvel of Your creation, my
parents gave me the gift of life itself.
He continues to be a great teacher and mentor, such a wonderful example
of how to live a life of faith. I am
blessed. Amen
