Ashkhen Ourishian and her father Dicran Ourishian

My Beloved Baba,

Had I only known you were sick, I would have rushed to your side. I would have held your hand, kissed your forehead, and told you over and over how very much I love you.

Had I only known you had passed, I would have been the first to arrive with the most beautiful flowers I could find for you. I would have said goodbye and given you a farewell kiss. I would have cried like a baby that my beloved Baba was gone.

What I do know is how very much we loved each other despite the past.

I loved when you called me “akhchiges,” and hand-fed me instead of eating. There is no better tasting coffee in the world than the coffee you would make and bring me early in the mornings. Oh how much fun we had staying up and playing blot all night. Our countless trips to Reno and Vegas were unforgettable. We talked, joked, danced, laughed, and cried. You always had some wisdom to share, and it was always great advice about life and love.

Though our time together was far too short, we developed a deep love and a very strong bond with each other. I shall always cherish and hold close in my heart the wonderful memories of the times we shared, and I thank God for them every day.

I will love and miss you until my last breath. Oh how I shall miss your hugs, which were so tight they hurt. Rest in peace until we meet again in a place where we will never be separated again.

Goodbye for now, my precious Baba…I love you so very much!

Your loving daughter,
Ashkhen Dicran Ourishian