“A dad is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.”
— Author unknown
Father’s Day is just around the corner and we at The Leader know just how special dads — or grandpas, stepdads, male figures, uncles, anyone you consider a "father figure" in your life — can be, that’s why we want to hear from you about what makes your dad the best.
Did he help you ditch those training wheels on your first bike? Teach you to drive your first car? Help you find your first house? Help you welcome home your first child? All of the above and more? Tell us about it.
The Leader is working to gather reader stories for a special “Dear ol’ Dad” compilation for Father’s Day. If you have a story or photo to share or just words of love for your dad, email them to [email protected] for possible inclusion. Submissions will be accepted through noon Friday, June 19.
We can’t wait to hear about all the great Longmont dads out there.
Here are a few letters from The Leader staff to their “dads” on the impact they have had on their lives:
Dear Bill,
A colleague recently said to me dads aren’t necessarily the people with whom we share DNA. That got me thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life.
By traditional definition, you are my “stepfather” but really you are my dad. An amazingly kind, generous man with the patience of a saint, I have been able to turn to you for all those “dad” things for more than 25 years.
Car problems? Call Bill.
Moving? Call Bill.
Home improvement project? Call Bill.
Your love for my mother was a living example of the type of relationship to which I aspired. By observing your marriage, I learned what a relationship could be, as well as all those things I just didn’t want to settle for anymore.
Without even trying, you taught me the value of responsibility, respect, compromise and humor.
That quote you read at the top of this story is one I picked. I inherited my 5-foot-7 frame from my father, but I got a lot of my heart from you Bill and will always look up to you.
Love,
Julie
Dear Johnnie,
As I look back I am amused that you spent so much of your life avoiding having children only to become one of the world’s best dads. This was the cause of at least two of your divorces.
You were not my biological father but I grew to be more like you than I would have ever expected. Your can-do attitude, your resolve to march to your own drum and confidence that as long as you did right by people, you were on the right path.
I will never forget when we met. We went bowling with the family and my sisters and I were too well behaved for you and you told us to stop listening to our mom and lighten up. The rest of the evening was fun and full of laughter.
As the years went by you were always there to listen when I needed to work out a problem. Your advice was usually the same. “Do the right thing and stay true to yourself.” I hear those words still.
The last decade has been tough without you. I miss hearing you repeat all of your old stories. I miss joking and laughing with you. I miss telling you stories about my kids. But most of all I miss knowing that no matter what you would be there.
You left too soon and I dearly miss you. I share your stories with my kids and they laugh at how silly Papa was. While you were not my dad, you were the one who cared as if you were. It has meant more to me than I ever knew while I could tell you. Thank you for everything you did and most importantly, thank you for just being you. Miss and love you,
Macie — the kid you inadvertently inherited when you chose my mom
