Davina,

I thought I'd share with you my father's reaction to the contest.

My sister was in town this weekend so finding the right time was tricky since I wanted it to be more personal and private since my mom warned me that he would cry. While my sister was at the grocery store, I pulled my gift out to give him. He told me that I shouldn't have bought him anything at which point I told him that he needed to open the gift for me to explain it all. He pulled out a nice black frame that my mom had purchased for my entry and looked at me questionably. I then explained the contest and how that was my entry, the winning entry. He made it maybe half way through before breaking down and crying. It was truly a special moment and he told me that it didn't matter that I had won because my entry was the best gift he could've ever recieved. Thank you so much Davina for having the contest.

Not because I won, but because I was able to give my dad what I had wrote. I wouldn't have ever thought to do something like that and I'm so glad I did have that oppurtunity. He has now cried multiple times over it. Even at work when he had to say something good that's happened recently in his life at a meeting. He said he probably won't be able to read it for several more years because he cries everytime, and has told me multiple times that it is the best gift he's ever recieved. Thank you for giving me the chance to honor my father. It meant a lot to me to be able to give him that and I"m excited about the shoot.

Thank you again!

Melissa Brady