{
  "id": 39794,
  "title": "Taking Care of the Father Who Broke My Heart",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/taking-care-of-the-father-who-broke-my-heart",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-02T11:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/father-family-old-age/688113/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Levi Fishback passed away recently at a nursing home in Kentucky, prompting inquiries from family regarding funeral arrangements and personal touches for his memorial service. As his only surviving relative involved in his care and financial affairs, the author found herself overwhelmed with the responsibility of organizing these details. The lack of personal recollections and limited photographs made it challenging to create a meaningful tribute to her father. The author's memories of Levi were fragmented and sporadic, often involving his involvement in her mother's life due to her struggles with drug addiction. Despite occasional visits and calls, Levi's presence in the author's life was largely absent, leaving the daughter feeling disconnected and questioning her father's intentions.",
  "summary": "In a poignant piece for The Atlantic, author Sarah Kessler reflects on her complex relationship with her father, Levi Fishback, and the challenges of navigating his absence from her life. As his medical proxy for four years, Kessler struggled to understand the man she barely knew, relying on photos and memories from her stepfamily to piece together his story. Her father, a man who took care of his family and demonstrated love through actions rather than presence, left Kessler with a sense of longing and uncertainty about their relationship.",
  "key_points": [
    "Levi Fishback died at Kentucky nursing home.",
    "Author struggled with organizing funeral details.",
    "Memories of father were fragmented and sporadic."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}