Dads do a lot for their families. They can bring home the bacon, as well as eat all the bacon. They fix things, teach their kids about sports, play tea parties and kill spiders. We want to celebrate the things dads do.
We asked to hear what makes your dad the best for our annual Father’s Day contest.
Winner Richael Bowen wins a $150 gift card to Southside Western & Outdoor Wear. He can pick it up at Southside, 3014 James L. Redman Parkway.
Winner
Big Heart
My fiance, Richael Bowen, is an amazing father to our two beautiful kids, An’Jalyse, 5, and Richael Jr., 2. He has been there for us always.
June 2, 2015 he had a heart attack. He was put on life support for three days. We were scared to death we were going to lose him. He ended up having open heart surgery. He had a blocked artery. He received a bypass to repair his mitral valve.
Thank God for the surgeon. He was awesome. He sent him home all fixed up.
We have had a rough year. But through it all he was there for us. He never gave up. Today I am proud to say he is doing great. He has gone back to work a little here and there. He always makes a way for us to keep pushing. It’s rough at times, but I know our kids are grateful their father is here to spend another Father’s Day together.
He is the best man I have ever met, and I hope we have many, many, many more days to spend with him. We want him to know that he is the greatest daddy anyone could ever ask for. Thanks for everything, Richael Bowen. We love you and your heart.
— Alice Sprouse
Finalists
Keeping his Promise
My father, James Wiggins, is the best in the world. Growing up with five kids, it wasn't easy for my parents to make a living. At many times in our life my parents had four to five jobs at one time to make sure their kids had food on the table and clothes on their backs.
My parents raised us up on chicken or dairy farms. Most of our life we worked before and after school on the farms. My father never stopped.
My mom was the sunshine of his life. My dad had a heart attack at the age of 42, and even after that he continued to give and give. He has a heart of gold.
He will be 80 years old in one month.
These last 10 months of his life have been the hardest of anything he has ever gone through. My mom passed away in August 2015, and they would have been married 58 years.
His life now is empty. He has lost his true love, partner, best friend and, most of all, his wife, who he loved and took care of for so long.
Our whole family has been different because the bond that was there is gone. But my dad still gives to his children all he can give: painting, cleaning, mowing, taking grandkids and great-grandkids. He will do whatever he can do.
Over the last few months of losing my mom, my dad has slowly gone down. But he will never give up the promise he made to his wife and his children. My dad deserves nothing more than a special day to say this: “You’re awesome, you’re great and you’re the best and most God-fearing man there is. And most of all, you’re the greatest father in this world.”
— Sheila Wiggins
Missing You
My dad is a sergeant in the United States Army. I miss my dad. He is gone all the time because he is fighting for our freedom. His job is to find bombs and blow them up. He reads me stories and sings me Happy Birthday on Skype. He is brave and strong and he is my hero.
Sgt. James David McQuaig, 35, is the father of Patrick, 11, and Connor, 9, McQuaig. He is stationed at Ft. Stewart, Georgia. He is a resident of Plant City.
— Connor, 9
Playing Hard
My husband, Taylor Garrett, is a Hillsborough County firefighter who is also in paramedic school. He is gone two out of three days but still manages to have a second job and also spend time with his family. Our oldest son is 2, and we have another son due in September. He manages to work so hard but play harder for his little boy. Our son, Cole, absolutely loves his daddy and I couldn't ask for a better dad for my children!
— Beth Garrett and son, Cole Garrett
My Hero
What can I say about my daddy? It's hard to put into words how much he means to our family, but I'll try.
He's an amazing man. He's loyal, trustworthy, hard working and kind. He's all the things I want to be.
He is a Vietnam Army veteran and a proud American. He has always been dedicated to our family and has lived for my mama for almost 45 years. He never shies away from a challenge, whether it's fixing something broken or trying a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
He's struggled with his health a lot over the last 15 or so years. Heart attacks, stints. More heart attacks, repair and replace stints. Another heart attack and bypass surgery. A year later, reconstructive surgery on his chest wall. Another year later, surgery to remove melanoma from his ear.
Last year he was tired and feeling his age. He didn't want to do much and really had no zeal for life. And then, one day in November, he decided to make a change. He decided that was no way to live. So he started making better decisions about his health and what he was eating. He started to get out and move more.
As of June 1, he was up to walking 4 miles a day and had lost 45 pounds.
A couple weeks ago, he went to have a mass removed from his lung and ended up having an extremely invasive and long surgery where they had to take the lower portion of his lung because the mass was malignant.
He's home now and expected to make a full recovery. The doctors and nurses are so proud of his progress. And so are we. I know he will be back out there walking every morning and back in the kitchen baking for his grandkids very soon. He's strong. He's courageous. He loves and trusts the Lord. He is an amazing papa and the best daddy I could have ever asked for. He's my hero.
— Kathie Pagliaro
Tribute
I am fortunate to have had the love of my father, a blue collar worker with a 12th grade education. He was the epitome of fatherhood; a Christian man with an inner strength founded in the belief that it isn’t important what life does to you but what life finds in you.
He understood the importance of time spent with me, hugging me in a moment of crisis, listening carefully, kindly dishing out advice, providing warmth and security and being something more to me than just a provider.
The best of fathers might feel a little bit uncomfortable about being honored on Father’s Day. It's nice, of course, but although I celebrate in the special attention I receive from my wife and children on Father's Day, it’s as a son I most reflect on the holiday and its meaning.
No matter if it was hitting my first home run in Little League, being recognized in school for some accomplishment, or giving me a piggy-back ride for the last stretch of a long hike, I could always count on my dad being there.
He was a simple man, who spent most of his time tending to his family and his church. The ease of following the biblical teachings of the New Testament certainly made child-rearing less mysterious to him.
In families, as in most situations, people want to be regarded, and my father always expressed that we mattered to him and that he cared. Even when he had little material things to give, he was there with his concern and understanding. During those times of difficulty in my own parenting, I am reassured by the knowledge that being there with care and concern matters.
Dad died 19 years ago, however, he will always live in me through his example that what is most important in fatherhood comes from the heart.
— Jerry Lofstrom
Living Carefree
Chris Bond is an amazing dad. He is always putting his children first, provides for them and makes sure that they are happy. He is such a fun dad for these two kiddos.
When asked, what do you describe your dad as, Madison, his daughter said, “Cuddly, and he loves me very much! And he takes me on daddy/daughter nights!"
There are so many great things I can say about Chris, not only as a father but a friend and husband.
I will have to say the one thing he wants for his kids is to enjoy experiences and not to worry. As a child, they should enjoy themselves and live life. They shouldn't worry about what is happening in the world. He lets his kids be kids and carefree. I think that is his best asset in being a father. He wants them to be happy, and when he senses something is wrong, he makes sure to ask them and talk it through.
My husband Chris Bond is a wonderful dad who will always be there for his babies.
— Mailen Bond