Part 2: I Promised My Dad

Editor’s note: The story On the Edge of Death and A Promise Made to God continues from the last newsletter as Cheryl Landon shares the promise she made to her father.

Twenty one years after Dad made his promise, I was at this bedside. Roles reversed. Dad had contracted both liver and pancreatic cancer. 

Quickly came the day that Dad was told by his doctors he had three weeks to live.  My rock and strength were rapidly dissolving. I was scared, actually terrified of losing Dad. He had been my greatest security, my Rock of Gibraltar, literally my savior since I was eight years old.  

Now thirty years later, we are alone in his bedroom. Dad was too weak to get out of bed and walk down stairs to the family room. It was here Dad and I discussed his serious concerns. He told me about his one main concern: "Cheryl, I cannot die.  Society is self-destructing. I can make a difference."  He had started his fourth series, "US", addressing relationships and how the power of love works. Dad claimed, "It was his best work yet to come."  

Michael Landon, my dad, was a genius. He had a tremendous gift and a determined will to positively influence millions of lives. He successfully wore "fours hats" in the industry: actor, writer, director and producer. Little does the public know how my father worked endless hours, fought battles with the networks to get his family television series aired. He believed we can unite with family being the nucleus  promoting love. Dad came from a sad, loveless, abusive childhood of a lower income family in a prejudiced neighborhood against him being Jewish. His mother suffered from mental illness. She took her very cruel and abusive nature out on him since he was five years old. Though mentally tortured, Dad  was determined to make a difference. To know love, have a quality life and a loving family.  Dad had a burning, unnatural drive which took him from the depths of despair to rising stardom.

This drive in him was not human. It was divine intervention. He was determined to shape the importance of family and bring out the best in each other; not the worst, through love. Love is paramount. Love is the key for our future generations to know a life of prosperity, peace and security through God's truth for us. 

Michael Landon was the most loving, selfless, charitable, humble man I knew. Yet a mighty force to be reckoned with when facing threats to his beliefs, work and family. Family unity was critical. My parents were so in love for over twenty two years. Mom was his muse and this love catapulted him into worldwide stardom. I never saw a love like theirs in his life, and Dad confessed in writing how he'd never love another woman as he loved my mother. They were a great team making dinner a priority, family time.

Michael Landon made sure the cast and crew were also home for dinner. Family dinners are crucial for family unity.  It was the one time we all came together, discussed our days, current events, serious to funny conversations.  Dinner was the time for US,  family, and afterwards we always played together. Rather we competed in sports as teams. And, how we laughed playing "chicken fights” in the pool, or badminton, relay races, even escaping hundreds of bees harvesting honey by the nuns next door.  These bees depended upon our pool as their  water supply. Imagine Dad in his bathing suit with a fly swatter in sweltering 100 degree heat, climbing up our lava rock waterfall, barefooted, swatting at swarms of bees getting stung!  "Amazing Man" was his nickname.

So here is this larger than life, incredible father I am about to lose who gave me a life as his princess when I was the "unofficial", adopted daughter.  Dad made sure I was regarded as his daughter and protected me as his daughter. He saved my life more than once!  And, there was nothing like being loved by Michael Landon!

The roles were now reversed.  He is dying and I am by his bedside.  It is here that I discovered Dad had made this promise to God over my life.  I didn't know about this promise until I read it in his last, printed interview in Life Magazine. I knew now what it was that I needed to give back to my father who provided me with the most magnificent life!  It was here that Dad expressed his grave concern about society's destruction and our future generation.  Remember that thirty years ago, Michael Landon had this concern about society and our future generation! It was also fifty years ago my father had made his promise to God over my life.

Dad's promise touched millions of lives. In every series he produced, "Little House on the Prairie" and "Highway to Heaven",  and even the new, fourth series, "US",   expressed the things he most deeply believed. Dad is quoted, "I believe in God, in family, in truth between people, I believe we really are created in God's image and that there is God in all of us." (Life Magazine)  It was my mother, Lynn, who came up with the concept for "Highway to Heaven" from her favorite, classic Christmas movie, "The Bishop's Wife;"  Starring Cary Grant, the angel;  David Niven and Loretta Young, the pastor and his wife.

My promise to Dad, made on his "deathbed" was to "honor and protect his name", which I wrote: "I Promised My Dad"; and, to address his concern about society.  I established the "Above and Beyond" Foundation, featuring "Highway to Inner Wisdom" programs and devised the mission:  "To raise a healthy, future generation, and create an alignment to heal our world.”  This mission was drafted  with a mixture of brilliant, human behavior specialists and spiritually progressive minds.  

It was divine intervention when Michael Landon came into my life.  I was eight years old.  I did not know love except the terror living with a divorced, young parent, ill tempered, immature sperm donor, my biological father. (My parents divorced when I was two years old)  My mother believed me to be in his safe hands, living with Italian grandparents, aunt, cousins and the biological father in a home with a pool. In reality,  I was abused in more ways, knowing the back of a hand across my face many times more than a comforting hug. This abuse was one of many that strikes a deep chord in me knowing there are hundreds and thousands of lost, innocent children enduring abuse today.  Innocent, little children.  I swore my son would never know the back of a hand, rather the comforting hugs of love.  That is exactly what  Michael Landon provided me. Affection, security, love and comfort hugs.  He instantly recognized this abusive terror from his own experiences.  

This new man in my life gave me unconditional love,  and that love  carried me through thirty years of my life.  Dad loved me through every difficult phase and celebrated the marvelous times, unconditionally.  While Dad was critically ill, I received a special calling to return this love in a much larger capacity than I could ever imagine...confident this was God's calling.

This love has created miracles in my life!  I gave birth to my "Miracle Son," James Michael. The most beautiful, miraculous gift in my life!  James Michael is the first and only grandchild Dad was able to meet and spend many memorable, delightful times with his Grandad.  In time, James met and married Carly, and together they are parents to my three grandsons, Jimmy, Bodhi and Mac. It's rare that a mother-in-law is privileged to have a daughter- in- law she loves as the very daughter she dreamt to have in her life. Carly is that very daughter! Together, James and Carly are an impressive, accomplished team, creating a loving, secure, closely knit, God centered family. They are all "Nona's Miracles". 

I am so very proud of their teamwork cultivating " joy full", affectionately confident grandsons.  Teamwork.  That's key to uniting. Teamwork in relationships, marriages, co workers, neighbors, local shops, on and on.  Quality teamwork produces positive results. 

As I spoke the promise, "To honor and protect his name" and the mission concept to my father, he squeezed my hand confirming the promise, as if  believing I could do it.  

Join us in our mission: "To raise one healthy, future generation and create an alignment to heal our world"

I feel that WFWP is working hard on the same goal and that is why I am sharing my story here.

If you would like to personally contact the author, she welcomes comments and suggestions and would love to hear from you. She can be reached at: "ContactMsCherylLandon@yahoo.com"