In an era where one in every three—24 million total—children in the United States grow up without their biological father, it is heartwarming to hear about those who have been there.
Such is the case in Dorell Wright’s family, as Oregonian writer John Canzano illustrates in his latest column on the veteran forward.
My column on Trail Blazer Dorell Wright http://t.co/9vq7S5M7FX
— John Canzano (@JohnCanzanoBFT) August 25, 2013
Wright, whose son Devin (5) bears the names of his former Miami Heat teammates Quentin Richardson and Dwyane Wade, learned first hand from his father the value of balancing hard work with quality time.
Dorell Wright: “When my dad got home at 4-5 p.m. he always made time for me… That’s what being a father is — making time.”
— John Canzano (@JohnCanzanoBFT) August 25, 2013
As Canzano writes, Dorell’s father Ray—who worked as a carpenter for Macy’s department stores, along with his mother, was committed to raising their kids right.
He grew up in South Central Los Angeles, and remembers he was the only kid out of his large group of friends who had both parents at home. While Ray built things, Stacy worked as a property officer for the police department. And the parents wished and dreamed that their son, whose first love as a kid was baseball, might grow up to one day play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But first and foremost they were determined to raise a good person.
“You gotta make time. That’s what it’s all about,” Dorell said. “I always try to be like my parents. When my dad got home at 4-5 p.m. he always made time for me, my brothers and sisters. That’s what being a father is — making time. You got to be a role model and create quality time.”
There are many studies that prove that the lack of a father’s presence in a child’s life can lead to many issues that can follow them into adulthood. Organizations, such as The National Fatherhood Initiative, exist to help give children a brighter future by educating and engaging fathers.
In the Wrights’ case, the key to being a good father is no different than being a good three-point shooter, “Always follow through.”
Their story is one that all men who dare to make a child, whether planned or not, should aspire to follow.
Previous Tweet Posts:
Tweet of the Day: LeBron praises Scottie Pippen
Tweet of the Night: Mark Jackson on passing of Dean Meminger
_______
Michael writes the Tweet of the Day for SheridanHoops.com and is an Atlanta Hawks, Southeast Division NBA Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. Follow @MBrumagin