I was 11,163 kilometres from my dad when he died. It's taken a year for my heart to accept that

This First Person column is written by Ife Adekoya, who lives in Edmonton. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ.

As I spoke into my phone In the chill of March 16, 2023, the 11,163 kilometres between my father and me felt further than ever before.

I was on my usual commute to work when I pulled into a cul-de-sac, got out my phone and — as I’ve done thousands of times since immigrating to Edmonton — called my parents’ home in Nigeria. 

My dad had been having health issues and I was intending to visit in June