Terrina Troy's father was a blue-collar high school dropout who spent his life giving the middle finger to authority. He was brilliant, fearless, reckless, and treated "bucking the system" as a sport.
In her memoir, All But Six, Terrina weaves a raw, moving story that allows the reader to eavesdrop on some of the saddest, scariest, and funniest moments of their lives, as father and daughter struggle to navigate the complexities of their deep bond.
Her father's relentless pursuit of autonomy and devil-may-care attitude defined his life's path. He taught his daughter to never take a backseat to anyone: being strong and brave were her only options. His loving words and encouragement shaped her sense of humor and independent fighting spirit. When she was a child, her dad was her hero and mentor. But she would also learn that when it comes to a person's true character, actions always speak louder than words.
Her grit and backbone challenged him when his alcoholism and contrarian ways crossed the line. Terrina's unwavering commitment to a better life caused him to resent her; it made his personal failures impossible to hide. The very fortitude her father developed in her led to many brutally honest confrontations and a decades-long estrangement from him.
Fate reintroduced an opportunity to prove himself worthy of a second chance. His humility, introspection, sense of humor and redemptive actions ultimately reconnected their bond. Terrina embraced and straddled their very different worlds, communicating with him on his terms. In the end, she taught her father about unconditional love, devotion and respect-but it was his final lesson that would change her forever.
