Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. ~G.B. Stern
Once again, your entries were ALL beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing your stories about extraordinary people with us! Our panel of readers take their vote to heart and it's not an easy task with so many beautiful people to choose from, but there can only be one chosen.
The awesome person chosen for this GRATITUDE GIVEAWAY is Alfonso M.!!! His grateful daughter, Gaby sent us the following story about him. Alfonso will receive a "Gratitude" bracelet from our Dina Manzo Love Rocks collection! Many blessings to you Alfonso!!! xo
My dad has always had a rough life: from working at such an early age (5 years old) not being able to finish school, living in a very poor household, and the hardest loosing the love of his life and raising 4 kids alone. And even though he's been through all that he is one of the strongest, caring, forgetful and big hearted person I know. Loosing my mom wasn't easy for him especially after being attacked by her family and calling her a killer when my mom died of childbirth, he's been ridicule by them, spit on, hit, having the gravestone we put on her grave removed and flowers burned, yet he never has hold a grudge against them and has thought me how to be able forgive. He has me how anything is possible with God on your side & has made me the person I am today, I don't know where I would be without him. I am so grateful to be able to call him my dad because he has raised us to be the best we can, he has given us everything we ever needed, he has been my rock when I'm breaking down, he's been there through the good and the bad with me,I'm thankful for that and I wanna show my gratitude because honestly it would of been much easier for him to leave us at grandmas and live his life but no, he decided to raise us and that meant balancing work and housework, taking care of us when we were sick, driving us to school and always being by our side. Dad I want you to know how proud I am from where you came and to where you are now, from having nothing to owing a house, cars, your business, writing books but most importantly to being the dad you never had, someone who understands you, is there for you and shows you how much he cares and I love you for being the best dad/man anyone could ask for, in my eyes you are the greatest hero there is.
Gaby M.
My dad has always had a rough life: from working at such an early age (5 years old) not being able to finish school, living in a very poor household, and the hardest loosing the love of his life and raising 4 kids alone. And even though he's been through all that he is one of the strongest, caring, forgetful and big hearted person I know. Loosing my mom wasn't easy for him especially after being attacked by her family and calling her a killer when my mom died of childbirth, he's been ridicule by them, spit on, hit, having the gravestone we put on her grave removed and flowers burned, yet he never has hold a grudge against them and has thought me how to be able forgive. He has me how anything is possible with God on your side & has made me the person I am today, I don't know where I would be without him. I am so grateful to be able to call him my dad because he has raised us to be the best we can, he has given us everything we ever needed, he has been my rock when I'm breaking down, he's been there through the good and the bad with me,I'm thankful for that and I wanna show my gratitude because honestly it would of been much easier for him to leave us at grandmas and live his life but no, he decided to raise us and that meant balancing work and housework, taking care of us when we were sick, driving us to school and always being by our side. Dad I want you to know how proud I am from where you came and to where you are now, from having nothing to owing a house, cars, your business, writing books but most importantly to being the dad you never had, someone who understands you, is there for you and shows you how much he cares and I love you for being the best dad/man anyone could ask for, in my eyes you are the greatest hero there is.
Gaby M.
