5 Heartwarming Stories About Dads to Celebrate This Father’s Day
Father's Day is a day we take to honor our fathers and their contributions to our lives. We thank them for making us into the people we are today. Below are five stories of fathers that went above and beyond for their children... Hope you enjoy!
The Department of Ability
According to The Guardian, Dan White is an artist releasing a comic book called "The Department of Ability" in which a team of disabled superheroes save the world. His inspiration behind the comic book is his daughter, Emily, who was born with Spina Bifida, and their shared love of superheroes. Emily is the main character of the comic, where she is a superhero with a flying wheelchair. White explains his motivation to create a powerful league of superheroes with disabilities occurred when Emily received her first wheelchair at age three. He tried finding disabled people in media that Emily could relate to, however, he was not able to find anything fun. This comic aims to support disability inclusion in comics and TV. White is enthusiastic about his work because he knows the potential it has to impact the disability community in a positive way.
Daddy Daughter Hair Factory
Phil Morgese is a single dad with full-custody of his daughter Emma. He was unsure of how to fix Emma's hair, so he started teaching himself how to use hair clips and hair gel, make ponytails, and French braids. He then realized that other single dads might need these skills as well, so he created the Daddy Daughter Hair Factory, a free class in South Daytona. This created an opportunity for dads and daughters to learn new hair tips and bond over the experience. He has also given his lessons to fathers in 13 different states to open their own daddy-daughter hair clubs. In addition to their website, they also have a YouTube channel and a Facebook page with hair tutorials. So far, his teachings have been successful in helping dads to feel more confident as well as enabling them to connect with their daughters even more.
Cochlear Implant Tattoo
A father named Alistair Campbell supported his daughter, Charlotte, by getting a tattoo of a cochlear implant. Charlotte is deaf and right before receiving her second cochlear implant, Campbell decided to get a tattoo showing his support. When Charlotte saw it, "she laughed, touched it, and thought it was cool" (Fox). After sharing the photo online, he received a huge response in support and told Huffington Post, "I'm pleased I have helped to raise awareness for all cochlear implantees" (Huffington Post). Charlotte received her first implant at just four years old, and Campbell explained the tattoo is to honor Charlotte and the challenges she faces. He also participated in a boxing event raising money for Hear 4 Kidz Trust, an organization supporting children with hearing loss.
Layla’s Eye Patches
This dad, Geoff, creates art on his daughter Layla's eye patches. Layla was born with a cataract in one eye and is required to wear an eye patch daily to strengthen it. Although some children might feel embarrassed to wear an eye patch when others are not, Geoff designs the patches; some of which include Ninja Turtles, Apple's logo, Disney Princesses, and googly eyes. At first Layla did not like wearing the patches, but over time she has learned to tolerate them. Since she wears them daily, he takes a photo every day and posts it to their Instagram account (@laylaspatches) which has over 12,000 followers. Geoff explained that Layla's eyes have been developing well as a result of the patches.
HooplaHa: Autistic Adults Thrive at Florida Car Wash
Rising Tide Car Wash's CEO and co-founder John D'Eri was inspired to employ adults with autism because his son Andrew is autistic, and wanted to give him the opportunity to live a more full and independent life. Prior to this, John and his other son, Tom, researched the skills of autistic people and learned that a large amount of the spectrum is good at "process driven tasks with detail orientation". For many autistic people, it can be difficult to find employment. The employees at Rising Tide are eager to work hard each day, always spreading positivity and doing an extremely thorough job. Since they are so hardworking and grateful, it creates an amazing work environment that feels like family, both for the employees and the customers.
It is important to take this Father's Day to thank our dads for all they do for us. We celebrate fatherhood and show our appreciation for them. Giving back to our fathers on this day for all they have given us is something truly special.
