Dude!
Sounds like a great time to me. I think you set yourself up for failure. "The Death of a Life-Long Dream"... Come on man. You were a child when you were there last; everything seen through children’s eyes is bigger and better. Sounds like you had some chances and your Dad got really lucky and bagged a nice one. There are many here whose fathers have passed on, and would have given anything to be in your shoes; deer or no deer, elk or no elk.
The only difference between this hunt being the hunt of a lifetime and a complete waste is in your head.
Besides…
You broke the golden rule; you hunt until you get back to the truck (so they say). Leave the arrow on the rest next time.
Time to Cowboy-up!