Today, Week of the Family Foundation honors all fathers. We celebrate fatherhood and we recognize the positive influence fathers have in our community.
Per Wikipedia, Father’s Day was originally proposed in 1909 by Sonora Smart Dodd who was the daughter of a Cival War Veteran. William Jackson Smart was a single parent who raised his six children in Spokane, Washington. Father’s Day was first celebrated on June 19, 1910 in a Spokane YMCA. While there were a variety of other local community Father’s Day services and celebrations in the US over the years and many attempts to make it a national holiday, it finally made it into law on April 24, 1972.
Since the holiday was started by a child, we thought it might be more meaningful to hear from some of our local children to get their perspective on what Father’s Day means to them.
Franziska, 21 year old student at University of Florida
Father’s Day serves as a reminder to me that I am my father’s daughter. As someone who lost their dad at the ripe age of 9, Father’s Day can bring up a lot of emotions and memories. It’s okay to feel the ache a little more deeply, to miss him more than usual.
In the earlier years after his passing, Father’s Day felt like a painful reminder of what I had lost. But over time, I’ve come to a realization and shifted my mindset. It’s no longer about what I don’t have, it’s about what I once had. And for that, I will forever cherish it.
Each year, I like to do something that reminds me of my dad. Whether it’s listening to his favorite music or cooking something he loved, I take the time on Father’s Day to celebrate his life and remember the similarities we have.
Andrew Garfield once said, “Grief is all the love you have yet to express that lives with you until you pass.” That quote has stuck with me. Grief can be devastatingly hard, but it can also be beautiful in ways we can’t imagine. The love we carry doesn’t go away with their absence. It transforms. Grief reshapes and weaves itself into who we are. A form of honoring our loved ones, a way our heart refuses to forget.
I choose to let the love speak through memories, music or small rituals. In doing so, I keep my dad close. Not just in grief, but in gratitude.
Hannah, 19 years old in the Disney College Program
For me, Father’s Day is a reminder of how family is not always about blood instead it is about love, loyalty, and presence. I was adopted, and ever since, my dad has been the one I have looked up to. He is the person I turn to when life feels overwhelming, the one who somehow knows how to fix anything whether it is a broken toy, a bad day, or something in my heart. He did not have to love me the way he does, but he chose to. And that makes this day even more special. Father’s Day is when I get to thank my dad for being strong, loving, and always by my side.
Pietro, 17 years old from East Ridge High School
“Father’s Day, to me, is a time to show my dad how much I appreciate him. He’s always there for me, whether it’s helping me with anything, giving advice, or just spending time with me. As I got older, I started to see how much he does for our family, and I really respect that. Father’s Day is a chance for me to say thank you and let him know how much he means to me.”
Theo, 17 years old from Orange County Technical School
Being without a father does take a toll on the overall outcome of one’s lives and emotions. While it may not seem to impact my life, it’s not something that just goes away and is forgotten. It’s just suppressed. I am thankful for Mentor’s for Fatherless Children to help me fill the gap.
Josh, 17 years old from Richard Milburn Academy
I grew up like a lot of other kids in my neighborhood—just trying to make it through each day. As a young Black kid without a father figure, I had to figure a lot out on my own. My mom worked long hours to keep the lights on, and even though she loved me with everything she had, there were things she just couldn’t teach me. I didn’t have anyone to show me how to deal with anger, how to walk with confidence, or how to be a man. Most of the time, I felt invisible—at school, in the neighborhood, even to myself.
That started to change when I met Leo Robinson. He was this calm, steady guy who ran programs for kids on the weekends—never flashy, never trying to act like he had all the answers. He showed up, week after week, and that meant something. Leo taught me practical stuff—how to work with tools, how to speak up, how to handle myself with pride. Then I met Samara Jules, a woman who saw something in me that I hadn’t even seen in myself. She pushed books into my hands and challenged me to think bigger. She told me my voice mattered, not just in the streets, but in the world.
With Leo and Samara, I found something I didn’t even realize I was missing. They didn’t try to replace the dad I never had—they just gave me a foundation to build on. They helped me see that I wasn’t just another kid getting by, but someone with something real to offer. For the first time, I felt seen, valued, and capable of more. And because of them, I’m learning how to write my own story, not as a victim of my circumstances, but as someone who can rise above them.
Leonardo, 12 years old from Aurelia Cole Academy
“ What Father’s Day means to me is that it is a day that I can celebrate my father. It is a day where I shower him with gifts and love to show him my appreciation for him doing everything he has done for me all my life. I always try to make Father’s Day a special day for my dad because he truly deserves it.”
Nehemia, 12 years old from OCPS Ace
Father’s Day is when everybody who is a father celebrates their day/holiday. Like have a get together and open stuff from people. How I feel about Father’s Day? Good, because that’s my dads day to enjoy himself and have a good time and open things he wanted for a long time.
Forever, 11 years old from OCPS Academic Center for Excellence PP
Father’s Day is a special day where you can have fun and spend time with your kids, play games and be a father to your kids. But the most special thing about Father’s Day is being there for your kids and staying by their side when they need you and to protect them because that is what a father is supposed to be to their kids and just love them.
Week of the Family Foundation thanks all of the students that provided content for our Happy Father’s Day message! But we especially thank all the fathers in our community and those that are mentors and father figures. As you can see above, it means a world of difference to these children.
No matter what your family dynamic, a ‘father or mother figure’ can come from anyone in your life, be it an aunt, uncle, grandparent, friend of the family, teacher, pastor or mentor. It’s never too late to be a good parent or to mentor a child without one. Just take one little step towards it!
