Teche area children pay tribute to special fathers Sunday

I hope you saw the special section last week with the essays and artwork on “Why My Dad Is Special” and then the story and pictures in Sunday’s paper where the best entries were recognized.

It’s always fun, and often heart-warming, to see the pictures local youngsters draw of their dad, and then reading the short essays others write sharing why they think their dad is special.

Nicholas Rowan, age 9, definitely has some artistic talents as his drawing of his dad was remarkably accurate, as shown in Sunday’s paper next to a photo of his dad and sister.

And Darby Small essay’s was poignant, recognizing his grandfather for all he does for him while his dad is living in Houston. “My paw-paw is a special kind of guy,” he wrote. I can’t imagine many dads or granddads thinking they could receive any higher praise.

In the section earlier in the week, I saw how Saasha Small wrote of her father, Kenyatta, “He is my loveable and cuddly Hero!”

Alyssa Babb wrote about her father Troy, “That’s why he is an awesome dad.”

Mariah Nicole Jeanlouis wrote of her father, Roland, “He is the best dad any little girl could ask for.”

Keilee Martin wrote of her dad, Ernie, “My dad is the best dad in the whole world. I love him with my whole heart.”

Among the reasons Ariance Levy loved her dad, Conrad, is “He buys me cheeseburgers with pickles ...”

Few if any of the dads in the drawings or essays were professional athletes or astronauts or such. Most all were everyday guys and the things that their son or daughter appreciated was an everyday action that was noticed and thought to be something special.

There’s a lesson for current dads and dads-to-be, in those essays and drawings ... and just a lot of darned cute thoughts that were shared.

n

Let’s hear it for the old guys!

I saw an Associated Press report out of Pennsylvania of how a 22-year-old woman targeted a 71-year-old man, accompanied by a friend in a wheelchair, when he withdrew money from an ATM.

No doubt the woman thought this old-timer and his handicapped friend would be easy marks. Wrong!

The man had just taken his cash from the ATM when the woman knocked him down and took his money.

But he got up and started after her, with his friend in his electric wheelchair in pursuit as well.

The man caught her, wrestled her to the ground and held her there. The friend in the wheelchair grabbed and held onto her leg.

“She wasn’t going anywhere,” said the wheelchair-bound man whose breathing problems force him to use the chair.

The old-timer has suffered a stroke five years ago, but found the oomph to catch this criminal and hold her until police arrived.

Not only was the woman stupid to pick the wrong victim, the old-timer had even thought about not pressing charges, until she continued to resist arrest and kicked him in the leg.

Who says the good guys never win?

WILL CHAPMAN is the publisher of The Daily Iberian.