The Family Tree

I’m proud to say that Terry A. McHugh is my father and his story is a story that millions of Americans can relate to.

Born in 1949 as a second-generation Christmas tree
farmer in Western New York, like most baby boomers who are lower to middle-class, his values were developed such that work, more than anything, defined you. My father never wanted to retire, in fact he saw it as a death sentence; and he wanted to make sure that I was raised to believe that if you pursue your passions hard enough, you will never want to retire.

That being said, these values butt up against the expectation of his generation to always provide for one's family, long after they even really need you to. So he found himself working at a local
electric company for over two decades, primarily working in sustainable energy practices such as upcycling and electric vehicles. Following the loss of this job, he then worked for a century-old wealthy industrialist as a property manager, who shared in his distaste for retirement. So it wasn’t until he reached his mid-60s, that Terry began to pursue a dream that aligned with his life’s passion: having a small Christmas tree farm of his own, with a barn to service the farm, and
work on all of his creative projects in. The events following the purchasing of the land gave him many reasons to throw his arms up and quit, but he refused. But he also often compared himself to Don Quixote, self-conscious that people saw him as chasing windmills.

Growing up, I had a giant banner next to my bed that read “PERSEVERENCE” next to it; so as you can see, the apple doesn't fall far from the “tree,” so-to-speak. I also have changed careers
several times throughout my twenties and now into my thirties; moving from acting, to working in the art and prroduction department on set, to working as an event photographer and journalist, to now pursuing my masters in Engagement Journalism at the Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY, in thinking about how I can apply these skills to impact producing.
Every time I pivoted, I would start to wonder if it was too late to start something new and be able to have a successful
career.

The making of this film itself has been very reflective for me. At each stage of learning, shooting, re-budgeting, going through another cut and fundraising, I have looked to my father as inspiration to not give up.

Eight years later after beginning filming, this rings true to this day.

It’s rather poetic that I write this to you close to the three-year anniversary of my dad’s unexpected stroke. Just over three years ago today, he went outside to go mow the lawn around the trees, and when my mother went out to get him, she found him lying on the grass barely conscious. In the weeks following, as my dad lost more and more brain functioning, his one working arm continued to move through the air as though he was organizing the shelves in his barn. He even tried to get
out of bed multiple times, much to the chagrin of his nurses. Towards the end, I showed him the rough cut of this film and we wept, as I promised him that I would carry on his legacy.
When I finally committed to documentary filmmaking in 2014, it was because it was the best way that I knew how to make an impact on the world, by raising up stories of the everyday hero. As an audience member when we see someone like us making a change in their lives without material wealth, without extensive family connections, without natural luck in the world, facing
systemic challenges that are designed to keep us small, it sparks something within us to get up and keep trying.

We need these stories to be lifted up now more than ever. We need stories to remind us to keep protesting police brutality, to keep fighting for universal healthcare, to keep fighting for the environment. We need average people to remember that their fight, whether it’s working for a mutual aid fund helping those out of work, or sending out texts reminding people to vote, or teaching their children about recycling. Reminding us that all of this does matter and it's what today's hero looks like.
My dad faced non-stop curveballs that included swift and unfair legislation changes and debt-inducing legal fees; which is not unlike the curveballs, changing legislation and economic devastation that we are all facing currently.

So, we need a film that’s going to encourage people to never give up, just like my dad didn’t, right up until the day he died.