"Counting On" star Jill Duggar's husband Derick Dillard recently wrote a touching tribute for his late father, Rick W. Dillard, as he observed his ninth death anniversary.
On his Instagram account (@derickdillard), Dillard posted a photo collage of his father wearing a police uniform. His father had a relaxed smile on his face, and it's quite clear where Dillard inherited his height from.
"9 years ago today I said goodbye to the greatest man I knew," he captioned the photo. "The greatest, namely, because he taught me in word and deed about Jesus Christ. He protected and served the public as a police officer, and he loved God and his family. His time came sooner than expected, but I know he would have loved being grandpa Dillard to little Israel, too. He is my dad, and I look forward to seeing him again on the other side of eternity."
Had his dad been alive, he would have probably been overjoyed by the news that Derick and his wife are expecting their second child this July.
The Christian couple still don't know the gender of their second baby, but they are nonetheless excited to become a "party of four."
They announced Jill's pregnancy on their blog: "Words cannot describe how excited we all are that God has blessed us with another precious gift! We are eager for another sweet Dillard baby to join our lives come July, and we know Israel will be a great big brother."
Dillard still has his mother, Cathy Byrum, who was previously diagnosed with cancer. Byrum was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma back in 2014, just two weeks after Derick and Jill got engaged. She remained committed in her faith in God despite her medical condition. Later, her faith saw her through as God removed her cancer, and she is now enjoying a new lease in life.
