“I sustain myself with the love of family.” ~ Maya Angelou

Actor Dax Shepard shared a photo of some of the last moments he and his fiance, actress Kristen Bell, spent with his father, Dave Robert Shepard Sr., who passed away from cancer on December 31, 2012. It’s an extraordinarily touching picture that’s an example of the amazing power of showing up…of being there when your loved ones need you.

Here are Dax’s powerful words describing that meaningful moment:

“At one point, and unbeknownst to both of us, my wife walked into the room. She had flown in from LA without any warning. It was a surprise. It was an amazing, incredible, perfectly timed surprise. She lifted her shirt up and he put his hand on her swollen stomach. He left it there for the better part of an hour. He was smiling from ear to ear, sitting contently, unable to put together a sentence, but still capable of connecting to the new family member we were creating. He wasn’t going to make it to the birth, but that didn’t get in the way of him meeting the new baby. It was an emotional and triumphant moment. One I will never forget. If I live to be a thousand, I will still be in debt to my wife for giving him that one last thrill.”

Photo by daxtumbler

Love and prayers to Dax Shepard and his family during this difficult time of loss.

Like elephant family on Facebook

Ed: Brianna Bemel