Two years ago on Father’s Day, I was working alone at the Drew Wellness Center for EnduringFX. I got into a conversation with someone and they asked me what I planned on doing with my children for Father’s Day. After explaining that I wasn’t a dad, they told me:

You might not be a father, but you're a dad to someone.

Even now, two years later, I still think about that quote. I wish I could remember who that person was or at least asked their name and written it down, because I never knew how much of an impact that would have on me.

I lost my father shortly before I got married in 2013. It wasn’t as unexpected but it’s still sad when I think about it. My dad had been sick for the past 10 years, so I knew something bad would happen sooner or later.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that young children and teenagers around us are watching our every move and hanging on to our every word. It’s easy to forget that we should always carry ourselves highly and always be above reproach, but many times we fall short.

There have been many men in my life who were not my father, but they were a dad to me. Some of them are still with me and some have passed on, but each made a very big impact in my life.

As we celebrate Father’s Day today, we need to remember not only to celebrate our own fathers but also those unsung heroes in our lives.