My dad was a good man. A kind man... I... loved him for what he did. He'd foster independence, showed us the value of education, and taught us to be curious about the world. Even more important, he'd helped the three of us become close as siblings, which I consider to be the greatest gift of all. I could have asked for nothing more in a father. And really, who could?

Nicholas Sparks, Chapter 15, p. 287 - Three Weeks with My Brother (2004)