The dynamic of her life has completely changed. Rachel Tainter, junior, wakes up each day with her father across the country.
Rachel’s father, although still married to her mother, lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, because of a job opportunity he received.
“At first his job was temporary,” Rachel said. “We weren’t expecting it to be a full time thing and he’d be home in like a month and a half.”
Now that the opportunity has become a long term, the family is finding the benefits to having distance within their family.
“I think the we will grow closer because of this,” Danelle Tainter, Rachel’s mother, said. “And the biggest benefit is that Rachel can finish out her 12 years at Kirkwood because its had such a great impact on her life.”
Despite the benefits, their current situation takes a toll on their close knit family.
“I’m really open with my parents about things,” Rachel said. “It’s only me, my mom, and my dad [so] it’s weird not having him at dinner, when I come home, in the mornings, and at basketball.”
While Rachel and her mom struggle with the lack of her father, her father has to cope with a daily life without his entire family.
“He tells me all the time how much he misses me and how much he feels left out,” Rachel said. He used to be really involved in sports and he said one of the things he misses most is going to my games and stuff.”
Although her mother is still an important figure in her life, it does not fill the void of a father figure living 1,600 miles away.
“She usually used to be with her dad a lot and I guess now it’s her being alone at her house more instead of being able to have someone to talk to,” Conner Rogan, junior and Rachel’s boyfriend, said.
One of the hardest parts for Rachel is the possibilities of her father missing out on special events that she wishes he could be there for.
“Everyone wants to see their daughter going through dances, prom, and it’ll be said not having him there seeing me in my dress and stuff,” Rachel said. “It’ll be weird because other people’s dads will be there but mine probably won’t.”
Regardless of her struggles, Rachel’s friends and family agree on her positive demeanor while coping with her new situation.
“Rachel is doing a really great job at taking it one day at a time and communicating well and talking to us both,” Danelle said. “I think she’s doing a great job.”
