re: Have any of you been distanced from your Dad and he passed away during that time?

I was quite distant from my dad since he decided he was going to try to find happiness on his own terms. He tried for about 15 years and never came close, and he died last year having ostricized many people, including close family.

I wish he could have seen my son, at least pictures. But so it goes. I'm better off not having to deal with his terribly selfish and child like ways. He was all emotion and when he did attempt to use reason it was twisted. He was deluded. Probably bi polar and narcissistic. Died in debt due to a lifetime of poor decisions.

I don't agree with the people on the shows that you are talking about. Sometimes people are beyond help. You're better off admitting that from where I'm standing.

Moral of the story: There's something to sticking it out and living the life of an ordinary upstanding citizen who can hold a stable job and retire with a 401k account.
When you throw all that a way due to petulant behavior, then you're going to lose everyone that loved you in the process.