VOTE. Father's Day Contest!
Every entry is so thoughtful and they are all very moving; I don't envy all of you who are voting. It's going to be hard to select a favorite. Below are five of the entries. Vote on your favorite then pass the word along that the voting has begun! Each person can vote once a day. So...grab some tissues and don't forget to fill out the poll right here at the top of the entries, just click the link.
Voting ends June 12th and the winner will be announced on June 14th (NOTE: this is a change from the original dates).
Entry #1
Jessica's Dad
I have the most magnificent Dad ever!!! Even if he isn't my biological Dad, he will always be known as my Dad. He came into my life four years ago and has made a big impact on my life. I had never had a father figure in my life until my Mom married the most amazing man. He has taken me in as if I was his own daughter, as if he was my Dad for all 21 years. This man knows how to show his love. He has showed me how a man should treat a woman; by the way he treats my Mom. He has given me the most wonderful gift of all, which is to be a daughter to a father who loves me.
My Step- Dad has done more for me in the last four year then some fathers can do in a lifetime. He supports everything that I do. He has never had any daughter's only sons. He has taken on the drama of having a daughter, cheerleading, make-up, shopping, everything that a girl loves and hates; he has always done it with a smile on his face. This man is amazing in my eyes. I love this man with all my heart. Thank you Roger for being the perfect Dad.
Entry #2
Melissa's Dad
My father.... what can I say about him to make anyone truly understand the kind of person he is. The youngest boy of seven kids left him quite the interesting stories to tell. His family wasn't poor, but they weren't well off either. Every christmas he would place me on his lap and tell me about how fortunate I was and proceed to tell me of one particular christmas where all he got was an orange pillow.
Despite the fact that his parents couldn't give him everything his heart desired, they gave him a loving home and raised him to be the father that I have always adored.
When I was 6, I remember how I proudly wore my "I survived the blast of 1988" t-shirt that my dad brought home for me after the Pepcon explosion in Nevada to bed every night, not having any idea that he risked his life to go back into the grocery store that he managed to get much needed food for the hospital. He stayed that day to do what he could to help all the people that were injured. I didn't know until I was in high school that the city of Henderson, Nevada had awarded him the honor of being their hero. When I found the plaque, I was shocked that no one had told me about it, but when I asked my mom, she told me not to bring it up to my father. To him, he wasn't a hero, he was just another person that was able to help. Nothing more. Of course, ask the homeless man who he gave a job to and allowed to live in the parking lot (he had a camper... and a little girl), or the destitute woman who he caught stealing bread and butter for her children and let go with a shopping cart full of food (that he paid for and told her if she needed more to ask him and he would take care of her), or the many employees that he's raised money for or given out of his own pocket when in need, and they will tell you he earned the title of hero.
Of course he was the hero in my eyes too. He was at every event that myself or my siblings had, donated money, time and supplies to our extra-curricular actiivities and coached what sports he could. He was always there snapping shots of us too, when he wasn't coaching us of course! I remember once he even brought me a bouquet of roses to a football game I was cheering at simply because I had a bad day. He was always the one to remind me to stop and smell the roses.
In 2003, my father was diagnosed with cancer. He had gone in for a checkup and they found a rather large lump. The summer and fall of that year were probably the most trying times on our family. Within a few weeks of the tumor being found, he had it removed and was on radiation. My energetic father who loved to hike, play tennis, and run around with my nephew and our dogs, was now flat on his back. He had no energy to move, let alone go to work at the job that he loves.
That spring, after fighting and beating the crap out of his cancer, he taught me what life is really about. He started taking more time off work to spend with us. He stopped bringing work home and started taking up hobbies.
He bought a guitar (a hobby from high school which he always swore he'd take up again), a corvette (a car he had been wanting for a long time, but wasn't "pratical"), and took up a healthier lifestyle, encouraging us to do the same. He told my siblings and I to live life a little more and take chances.
His chance was on school. After graduating with an associates degree 30 years ago, my father will be graduating with his bacholers degree this summer and has plans to go back for his masters.
My father has always taught me to reach for the stars and that even if they don't look within reach, they always are. He hasn't just been there to guide us through life, but to hold our hands when we've needed him. There is a lifetime of memories that would still be incomplete of summing up who my father is. I'm entering into this competition of sorts because he hasn't had a picture taken of himself in over 10 years, with the exceptions of family events, and it's not something he would ever go do himself (this is a man who would fill his childrens closets full of clothes but never think of replacing his own worn out clothes). I'd love to give him something truly memorable for fathers day.
Entry #3
Chelsea's Dad
Entry #4
Caroline's Dad
My dad is the best because he has moved countries twice from England to America and back to England just to make sure that our family is happy and now he is doing it a third time because we all want to come back to America and all of this has just happened in a year , he gave up his dream job for me and my five brothers not knowing if he had another job or not. I am the only girl and my dad makes sure he spend's time with me. He doesn't just tell me I am cute and pretty he tells me more importantly that I am smart and clever and that I can be anything I want to be, he always has faith in me! He help's me strive to do things I can't do on my own. I love my dad because he always helps other people, like before we were leaving to return to England we were packing up our house and my dad went over to help other people who were moving house too. He always listens to people when they need him, he would do anything for anyone. My dad has xytiligo which is a skin condition were the skin looses it pigment and turns white but my dad doesn't let it upset him or get in the way of thing he wants to do,and that teaches me that it's not what you look like but who you really are inside.I LOVE MY DAD SO MUCH!
I hope you pick me and my dad for Davinas photo shoot because I think Davina tells stories when she takes photos and I want to tell the storyof how much my dad and I love each other and that great men like my dad play a really important part in our lives, even when we are teenage girls.
Entry #5
Saylor's Dad
I have the best dad, (the best mom of course too but she usually gets most of the recognition!) My story is a special one ….. My name is Saylor Jae O’Brien. I am just barely four years old (so I hope you don’t mind that my mommy writes this for me!) When my mom was pregnant with me my parents found out that I have spina bifida (this means that I have a defect in my spinal cord which supplies a plethora of problems.) My mom had all sorts of spiritual experiences that prepared her for this news and my dad had also had a few but was more caught off guard. Typically after spina bifida children are born a neurosurgeon repairs the hole in their spinal cord, otherwise life is not viable. He instantly was insistent that we seek the best treatment for me and when our doctor recommended fetal surgery (closing the hole in the spine while in utero) in San Francisco my mom didn’t want to leave home and my siblings but my dad was instantly on board and ready to do whatever it took to get me the best shot at physical abilities. He convinced my mom (it wasn’t that hard) he quit his job and prepared our family for this fragile time in our lives. My siblings stayed behind with my grandparents. My mom, dad, and I went to San Francisco for fetal surgery. My mom was 23 weeks when we had surgery together. Can you imagine what it must have felt like being the man in the waiting room for nine hours while your wife and daughter are in a very life threatening operation together? I know that my dad has endured so much quiet pain. I am the first baby in the M.O.M.S. study to be born, my mom and I have had so much attention and focus and dad has always just stood by quietly supportive and proud. After surgery my mom got very sick and had some very scary complications and also had to remain in bed for the duration of the pregnancy but she pulled through for us. Dad brought us flowers and good out of the hospital food and wheeled us around in a wheel chair and made us laugh. Six weeks after surgery when my mom was barely 29 weeks along we experienced another complication that brought me out of my moms belly and into the world and once again my dad was that man waiting in that waiting room for the life of his wife and daughter to pull through. We did it and I survived the premature delivery but with more surprises, this time my dad was first to know of the extra complications I brought and was so gentle to tell my very sick mom. The next several weeks of my life were a roller coaster of sorts for everyone who loved me and all the doctors and nurses around me. Not only do I have spina bifida, premature by almost 12 weeks I was also born with some unrelated and very rare extremity and bladder deformities. I have had 9 surgeries in my short 4 years with many more to come. My dad is always that man in the waiting room praying intensely loving me every moment that he can. There is nothing that I would love more than to surprise my dad with something that is just for us, not mom, just us, a tribute to what he has done for me, the man behind the scenes.
Reader Comments (4)
I really hope people take the time to read these stories and then decide on who to vote for...I took the time and I really feel like the deserving winner to be Saylor's dad. I hope he wins and that it is not a popularity contest, but a fair one. All dad's are honored just to be in the contest...I hope Saylor's dad gets something extra special!
Reading about each of these dads is really moving. I've already had people letting me know that they've been reading through the essays and that it's been a hard decision. Each of these dads is amazing. I'm grateful to everyone for taking the time to read and vote. It's a wonderful gift to get to announce to the world how great a person is in your life. I appreciate each of these essayists for shouting out to the readers here that their dad is amazing! As a parent, I'd have to say it's a beautiful gift to have a child praise your name. I'm so excited about all the people who are participating in the voting. It's so thrilling!!!!! I'm already on pins and needles wondering what the outcome will be.
All the stories are very moving and all are winners in their families eyes and hearts. They all have already won. All of the stories are very moving which makes the decision a very difficult one but my vote is for Melissa's dad.
Awesome! I love these. I have been dying to shoot at Hotel Monaco... I've only shot on the east side entrance, not daring to actually go in. These are really lovely!