TOP CHARACTER STRENGTHS

LOVE - LEADERSHIP - HUMOR

My dad, Kenneth Gonzalez, was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was married to my amazing mom and they had four children together. He loved to draw, read, and watch movies. He was kind, smart as hell, and it seemed like everywhere he went someone knew him.

At the incredible age of 32, he joined the Army as Military Police and was stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska. I will always remember our time in Alaska. It was a life changing experience for all of us, especially him. My dad loved being outside, growing up he always took us on long bike rides through Queens, so you can imagine how excited he was about the outdoors in Alaska. Weekends with him consisted of fishing, hiking, camping, backyard bonfires, and more. At this point he was also excelling in his career and soon went on to become a Military Police Investigator.

His next assignment would be at Fort Hood, Texas. When the time came to relocate, he loaded his family in the car and drove us from Alaska to Texas. I tell you, the man never missed an opportunity for a good adventure. Unfortunately, he wasn't stationed at Fort Hood for more than a year when he passed away on February 1st, 2010. But with us he left these incredibly beautiful memories that we'll recall for the rest of our lives.

Character Strength Stories: 

Love - I never felt anything but love from my dad. He loved us and he wasn't afraid to show it. He was never short on hugs or compliments. He knew how to teach us the tough stuff with kindness that made it stick.

Leadership - In the little time that I had with my dad he taught me the necessary skills for being a good leader. He'd always tell us to put all that we've got into everything that we do. He'd say if you're going to shovel sh*t, you better be the best sh*t shovel-er there is. I was only a kid but it seemed like he knew everything too, and when he didn't know, he'd find out and get back to you. He was the kind of person that looked out for people and it made you want to give your very best for him.

Humor - He always made us laugh, even in those weird teen years where you don't think anything is funny. To this day we still tell some of his jokes back to each other.

- Daisy, Surviving Daughter