My Son Told Everyone His Biker Father Was Dead As He Was Ashamed Of Me And Now He’s Dying

 from his life.

Tyler was born when I was twenty-seven. His mother, Lisa, loved me when we were young. Loved the danger. The excitement. The rebellion. She rode on the back of my bike for our first three years together. Said she’d never felt more alive.

But people change. And Lisa changed after Tyler was born.

Suddenly the motorcycle was too dangerous. The club meetings were too late. My friends were too rough. She wanted me to sell the bike. Cut my hair. Get a “real job” instead of the custom motorcycle shop I’d built from nothing.

I tried to compromise. Rode less. Came home earlier. Started wearing button-up shirts to Tyler’s school events. But it was never enough.

She left when Tyler was seven. Told the court I was an unfit father because of my “lifestyle.” Her fancy lawyer painted me as a dangerous criminal. Showed pictures of my tattoos. My bike. My club brothers. Made me look like someone who shouldn’t be around children.

I got visitation every other weekend. That was it. Two weekends a month with my own son.

And even that got complicated. Lisa remarried when Tyler was ten. A dentist named Gregory. Nice house. Nice car. Nice polo shirts and khaki pants. Everything I wasn’t.

Tyler started calling him “Dad” when he was twelve. Lisa encouraged it. Said it was less confusing for him. Said he didn’t need two fathers. Said Gregory was a better role model anyway.

I kept showing up. Every other weekend. Riding to their nice house in their nice neighborhood where neighbors stared at me like I was there to rob someone. Tyler would come out looking embarrassed. Would ask me to park around the corner so his friends wouldn’t see my bike.

But once we were alone, once we were on the road, he’d loosen up. We’d ride together on back roads. Eat at diners. Work on bikes in my shop. He’d laugh and joke and be my son again.

Until he turned sixteen. That’s when everything changed.

He was applying to fancy colleges. Making friends with kids from wealthy families. Dating a girl whose father was a lawyer. He started making excuses to skip our weekends. Started saying he was too busy. Too tired. Had too much homework.

Then came the day I’ll never forget. Tyler’s girlfriend’s family was having a barbecue. Tyler asked if I could come. I was so happy. So proud that he wanted me there.

I showed up in my nicest clothes. Still had my vest because that’s who I am. Still rode my bike because that’s how I get around. Still looked like a biker because that’s what I am.Continue reading…