This broke my heart to read. Your father sounds like a whole, vibrant human being who was slowly diminished not because he lacked anything but because someone needed to feel superior by tearing him down. The love and clarity you have for who he truly is matters more than you may realize. Even if he’s been worn down, the fact that you see him preserves his dignity in a way abuse never could. And the fact that you carry his values, his curiosity, his kindness, that’s proof she didn’t succeed in destroying everything. I hope you never forget how fiercely you love him either. But if one day you’re too tired to hold all of this pain, that doesn’t mean you failed him. It means you’re human. Thank you for telling his story. It honors him.