Given the headline along with the photo, there should be no question as to whom I’m referring to when speaking about John, right? 

Well what if I told you that the John this article is relating to has never played for the Denver Broncos, and is a man that you and even I know little about? 

If that’s not a big enough twist for you, what if I also told you that this man was my father?

Given those facts, one has to think that my upbringing came from a broken home, or that I had a father who cared more about himself than raising a family.  I’m proud to say that the truth was actually to the contrary. 

My father learned the values of family and hard work at a young age.  Coming from a large family of nine siblings, the financial burden forced him to drop out after middle school to help support the family.  A few years later John Benito Pantoya would never be the same.

Vietnam.  To most Americans, this word does not invoke thoughts of glory or victory.  There was no strong show of support for the soldiers in this war as compared to those of today.  To the masses, this is a near forgotten and uncared about war.  The veterans of this war however, find it much more difficult to forget.

Coping with losing close friends in plain sight is quite a burden to bear.  Not to mention those haunting sounds and visions which become increasingly torturous over time.  Perhaps this was the main factor that led to the reclusive nature of my father, but if you ever sat down and watched a Denver Broncos game with the man, you would never believe that he was as withdrawn as he was. 

Getting my father to break his shell and let his personality show was not easy to accomplish, but a Bronco game was a great way to do it!  In those times, I learned more about the type of man my father was, and how he was more intelligent and conscientious than he led on to believe. 

The most important trait I learned and acquired throughout all those games was loyalty.  I learned how loyal my father was to his family and the Broncos, which mirrored quite fittingly with how John Elway remained loyal to the Broncos throughout his career. 

When the Broncos took home their first Super Bowl victory, I felt an unbelievable sense of fulfillment for John…Pantoya that is.  Of course, it was greatly fulfilling to see Elway finally win a championship, but after all of those great times I shared with my father, and how adamantly he and I followed the Broncos, nothing could top the feeling we shared that day!

It will be seven years this coming November that my father was abruptly taken from us.  If he had not bequeathed his passion for the Broncos to me, and if not for the Broncos fueling that passion, I may have never known the great man he really was. 

My father was taken in his sleep the night of Nov. 20, 2002.  It was the way he always stated that he wanted to go, which gave our family comfort.  However, I was disheartened for quite some time, never having the closure of being able to say good-bye, or even remembering the last words we spoke to each other.

I find solace through the memories of all the games we enjoyed together.  I will always consider those games with my father as gold. 

As the picture to this article shows Elway extending the game ball to the sky, I also extend it, and this article to you dad, for the undying loyalty in this great franchise that you passed on to me!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but when I saw this one only six came to mind:  This one is for you John!

 

 

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