By Kyle Curtis

Rotational working fathers have always found it very difficult being away from their kids, but the pandemic is making it harder.

TEN DAYS AT A TIME 

A lot of Newfoundlanders have to travel in and out of the province for work on a two-week or one-month cycle. They are away from their families for two weeks and then travel home and have to isolate for four days, leaving them only getting to see their family for ten days at a time.

Brent Hewlett, a heavy-duty mechanic from Shoal Harbour, has been doing rotational work in Fort McMurray for nine years. He works on a two-week rotation.      When he’s home he likes to spend time with his three children, Olivia (8), Tyson (5) and Connor (1). He says he likes the new restrictions the government has recently put in place.

“They changed it two sets ago. So now I have to go home and get tested and isolate from my family until I get a negative test,” Hewlett said. “Once I get a negative test then I’m allowed around my family. I can go for walks and drives but I’m not allowed around other people. After one week I get tested a second time. If that comes back negative I’m allowed to be around other people but not big crowds.”

Terry Jones, a heavy-duty mechanic from St. John’s, has been doing rotational work in Northern Ontario for ten years. He works on a two-week rotation. He has three children, Emma (15), Jermey (23) and Kaitlyn (23). He says a few rotations ago, when the restrictions made rotational workers isolate for two weeks, he didn’t travel home. He stayed with his sister in Ontario because if he was home he wouldn’t be able to see his family anyway. He says it has been very challenging for him and his family.

AWAY FOR CHRISTMAS

“I miss a lot. This year I’ll be away for Christmas and New Year’s. We just make it work. If I miss a special occasion we will celebrate when I’m home,” Jones said.

Hewlett says as a rotational worker you miss out on a lot. “I’m missing out on big moments of their lives. Birthdays, graduations, first steps, first words and all that good stuff.”

Hewlett says when he had to isolate for 14 days it was really difficult for him as well. “When they made us isolate for the full 14 days from our families, it was really hard. I’m a stay-at-home father

on my days off so it was really hard not to see them at all,” he said.

Jones says he spends a lot of time on video chats with his family when he is away, but his kids still hate to see him go every two weeks.

“It’s been hard on them because when I’m home they can’t do any school or work activities because the school or work doesn’t allow them to,” Jones said

It’s definitely harder for people with young kids, shared Hewlett.

“ It’s really difficult because they don’t understand. My kids are eight, five and one so they aren’t at the age that they can’t comprehend what’s going on,” Hewlett said. “I don’t know what that effect is going to be long term, but right now short term it makes them sad that I’m not with them.”

Hewlett says rotational working dads need to stick together and that they will get through it together.

“Put it in the mindset that even though it’s turning into long term right now. Always try to put it in the mindset that it’s short term,” Hewlett said. “I guess the saying is short term pain, long term gain. We’ll get through this together.”

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It took two years, but my daughter finally had her confirmation. Who knew, when the process first began back in 2019, that COVID would dare mess with Christ’s work and make gathering inside a church taboo. Suddenly the body and blood of Christ became forbidden fruit, and sharing a sip from a communal cup of wine and sharing the peace with one another are the worst things to be at. But the Lord works in mysterious ways, folks.

The pandemic and its fallout was the final straw that got my sister, a nurse, to pack up and leave Ontario with her two youngest and return to ‘The Rock.’ As a result, my niece had an opportunity to join my daughter’s confirmation class in year two of an attempt to begin their Christian journey on their own steam.

CROOKED AS SIN & TOGETHER WITH KIN

At first, the gruesome twosome was a sorry-looking pair. When the classes resumed, they were literally crooked as sin as I dragged their sorry arses to church one early morning to restart the dragged-on pivotal process. When the priest asked my niece what she likes to do, she gloomily replied, ‘sleep,’ in reference to the fact I had dragged her pitiful behind out of bed before noon on a Sunday. At least she answered.

My daughter scowled and, using her best resting you-know-what face said nothing. I answered for her, out of pure horror, and said, ‘movies. She likes movies.’ The reverend, obviously used to facing evil, dared ask her, ‘Oh? And what kind of movies do you like?’ to which she replied, ‘movies about murder.’ Nice. This is going well.

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LOVE LOCKDOWN

Another COVID local lockdown meant that classes moved online, and at first, the girls had to be dragged along to attend each and every one. For one, I chased them around the house with my phone playing the Facebook Live classroom of Christ feed. But then one Thursday evening when I was busy being busy, I heard something going on in the background: Sunday School Class! And I didn’t even need to give a reminder.

At the rehearsal, the girls who had grumbled and refused to participate gleefully accepted church scripture readings and sang songs praising the Lord, including enthusiastic hand gestures. Hallelujah! The ladies shopped for clothing worthy of a solemn church service too, taking quite seriously the significant occasion. Yet still, we joked and tormented. My sister and I enjoyed telling people that Elia and Claire “needed Jesus” and wouldn’t be able to make it to music class or to some other event that coincided with that week’s confirmation class.

HIGHWAY TO HUMOUR

Finally, the big day arrived and the girls were actually excited. They made sure anyone who couldn’t make it to the service because of location or COVID restrictions received the live link to follow along and they dressed to impress. They did their readings, they sang, and they held their candle with pride. Of course, the Lord always works in mysterious ways and loves to demonstrate His sense of humour.

On the way to the service, I turned on the radio only to hear Highway to Hell. I turned it up on bust, naturally.

LEMON PIES & COUNTRY SKIES

For more proof that miracles do happen, I’ve had the makings of a lemon pie on my counter for over a week. I just hadn’t gotten around to actually making it. A few hours before the service, my mother asked if I happened to have an extra tin of tomatoes sitting around for her to use for her supper prep. I did, and, mostly as a joke, I also passed down my abandoned pie supplies. She raised an eyebrow but took the works.

Half an hour later, mudder popped up with the finished product. She had actually made the pie! ‘Ask and ye shall receive,’ my mom said, and we ate the pie for dessert before heading off to church.

Mom may not have turned water into wine — which by the way would have really impressed me because I was sadly out of vino — but she did turn lemon pie mix into a lemon pie, and the girls, by eventually buying into the whole confirmation process totally on their own, turned their original sour lemons into sweet tasting lemonade.

Amen!

For more by Pam Pardy, click here!

As NTV’s Chief Meteorologist, Eddie Sheerr is one busy man. As a new father to seven-month-old Emily, things have ramped up a few notches, particularly when it comes to the time and dedication required predicting weather. 

“My time dedicated to d social media outside of work are now significantly limited because I’m trying to be a good dad, which I think is a solid trade-off at the moment,” Sheerr begins sincerely. Part of being a father is being there. 

“When I’m home, I like to be present. I like to take care of Emily as much as I can. I’ve had a day or two where I’ve been solo-parenting, and to me, it’s a much harder job than going to work. Stay at home parents, hats off to you. Taking care of a baby, or child, for hours on your own is isn’t easy. It can be downright exhausting! I certainly didn’t have as much appreciation for it as I do now!”

Sheerr says he makes time for his passion for weather by simply making the time; rising earlier, or crashing later. Keeping on top of the weather in a province like ours has its challenges, but also rewards. Is winter his favourite?

“That’s a tough question. Yes and no. Yes, because our weather gets active and that’s exciting, but at the same point, it’s also challenging, especially when you’re forecasting for an area the size of Newfoundland and Labrador. Sometimes the challenges can come numerous times in a week from several different storms.” 

‘TOO EXCITED TOO QUICKLY’

Sheerr’s approach is to apply a slow and steady hand.

“I find this time of year, you’re really starting to run a marathon, not a sprint, trying to pace yourself through the winter. When we jump into all these early season rain, snow or ice events, you try and not get too excited too quickly because it’s a lot more of this to come.”

But some things he can’t help but get excited over. For instance? On the day we chat, it’s one degree in Houston, Texas, and eleven in St. John’s. Sheerr laughs.  

“People love stats like that. There was a similar weather pattern last year where it was 15 in St. John’s and like six in Orlando. People ate it up.”

Sheerr talks more about what he knows best; weather patterns. Plunging Southern something-or-others and salty North whatchamacallits.  He laughs, recognizing he can get a tad technical and excited at times.

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“Let’s keep it simple. I came across something the other day that said there’s a strong correlation between the overall temperature in November and what the rest of the winter is going to be like in Newfoundland and Labrador. We’ve had a couple of really warm days. We’ve also had a couple of extremely cold days, which is going to happen again this week. So, whatever we see November temperature-wise could be an indication of how December, January and February are going to play out.”

One of the most common questions he gets? Will there be a snow day, he shares with a laugh. He tries to answer as best he can. But it’s hard.

“We live in a big place. With the conditions of the roads in an area, it’s sometimes hard to say. But to be honest, I just try and give my honest opinion when asked.” 

Speaking of living in a big place, Sheerr tries to get out and about as much as he can, in fact he’s not long returned from one of his signature road trips. Those are always so much fun, he shares. 

“It’s always great to get outside of town and go and see some of these smaller communities. I’ve been to Clarenville a number of times, they are always super nice there. I’ve been out there for Guy Fawkes Night and it’s always a great time shaking hands and taking pictures. I enjoy it and people seem to enjoy it. It’s always great to meet our viewers.” 

Sheerr also visited Port Rexton, a place he says he’d like to return to in the summer months, and Twillingate, which he shares left him feeling something very different. 

“It was really cool going to Twillingate this time because we got there in the midst of a storm ending and the ocean was like nothing I’ve ever seen. It was super cool. The waves were just huge.”

GETTING PERSONAL

Driving into the community, he says he was almost taken aback.  

“The waves were just crashing on the beaches, and it just made me feel very small. Things like that, when the wind’s blowing at 80 or 90 kilometers an hour, it’s magical.”

He shares that it’s moments like those when he truly sees the beauty of the province he now calls home. “It made me appreciate the weather in St. John’s. We get nothing like what coastal areas get. And these really exposed places? They are much, much more rugged and so very beautiful.” 

Speaking of rugged yet beautiful, Sheerr shares something very personal. While becoming a new dad was amazing, it also came with an unexpected appreciation of what those suffering with mental illness can go through. 

“This is something I probably should talk about because it’s not talked about. When Emily was born, I battled postpartum paternal depression for about a month. According to current stats, roughly 20 per cent of new dads go through this. It’s something that’s not talked about much, but after my experience with it, I feel it should be spoken about more openly.”

Sheerr explains that unlike new mothers fathers don’t get the experience of growing a baby.   

“Everything is one way one minute and the next minute, you’re a dad.” Sheerr didn’t fully grasp how hard it would be to take care of a baby, he says, adding  it was much harder than he thought it would be. 

“Now, it’s more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. Being a dad is the coolest thing in the whole world. I’ve never felt love for another like I do for Emily. But at first, it wasn’t like that. I had trouble bonding with her and that brought me a lot of depression and anxiety. Having a child changes your life in more ways that you can imagine beforehand. And that change is easier to swallow for some more than others. For me, I found it to be quite the challenge to say goodbye to pre-baby life and hello to dad life.”

Sheerr worked with a therapist and, perhaps most importantly, he kept doing the things he loved.  

“I kept rowing and kept working, and that kept me moving forward rather than going into a place that I didn’t know I could go to. But it gave me a bit of a taste of what mental illness is about and how that’s very real.  It changes your whole personality. And before I even knew it, it was on me, and it was so foreign and odd to me I didn’t even recognize what it was.”

A REWARDING CHALLENGE

And now? “It’s still challenging. But things are great. Speaking about it, I hope, can probably help people. I know that it’s not something that’s spoken about. Moms can go through postpartum, but it’s also more common than not for dads to go through some kind of postpartum as well. I spoke to a therapist about it and she said, what you’re feeling is normal.”

Sheerr has a message for new dads. “If you are going through a hard time or you are nervous it’s just hard in the beginning. It’s the biggest change you’ll ever have in your life, ever. There’s no question. But as the baby gets older and sleeps more and starts giving something back; they’re smiling and laughing and crawling and you could see them develop, it’s the coolest thing in the world.”

Speaking of cool, Sheerr says no matter the weather, he Susan and Emily plan on enjoying themselves as much as they can this winter. 

“We’re going to have to see what Emily likes. If she likes going to play out in the snow in the winter, we will go out in the snow. And if she doesn’t, then we won’t.”

Sheerr wisely says being a new parent, like being a meteorologist, involves a lot of trial and error moments. 

Many who watch Sheerr each night on First Edition or on the NTV Evening News Hour might not know Sheerr is also on OZFM giving weather updates. One fun segment he does daily is the Afternoon Drive with Stephen Lethbridge.  Sheerr smiles.

“It’s just like chatting with a buddy. The atmosphere on radio is a lot more relaxed and casual than it is on TV. We can get off topic and laugh and then talk about the weather again, about how bad or how good it is.”

‘I LOVE IT HERE’

So, is he still happy he decided to call this province home? He smiles sincerely. “I love it here,” he replies. We ask if he’s happiest when the sun is shining for days on end? He chuckles. “That makes my life very easy.”

However, that’s not why he’s here. “I came for the weather.” 

Like everyone, he enjoys a break in stormy weather, and he’s not overly thrilled when we have days and days of cloud cover or rain. Still? What we have here is pretty awesome, he adds. “The weather here is pretty cool. And that makes me happy.” 

“A father holds his daughter’s hand for a short while, but he holds her heart forever.”

What makes a 47-year-old man listen to base-thumping hip hop music with lyrics that would make a biker blush?

Why would a middle-aged dude carelessly try to learn Fortnite dances? Why, you ask, would a fella inching towards 50 know the cast of Riverdale, and exactly how much foundation and concealer costs at Sephora?

VERY SPECIAL BOND

Well, the answer is easy. I have two incredible daughters and – despite the sketchy lyrics and endless YouTube dance videos – I feel blessed to share their journey. The relationship between a father and a daughter is a very special bond. There are cozy hugs and dirty looks, high-fives and heavy sighs.

My life changed 15 years ago.

You see, I grew up in a home where four sports-crazed brothers jockeyed for ‘territory’ like a shot-caller on a prison yard. We literally boxed for fun. The mixed martial arts cage was our carpeted living room and we were stitched up more than a pair of hand-me-down gray flannels. The Dwyer home of the 1970s was a ponytail-free zone.

It stayed that way for me until, well, Oct. 16, 2003. That’s the day a gorgeous little redhead changed everything. Claire brought some much-needed girl power to the clan. Her spunky little sister, Madison arrived almost 10 years ago and, together, these beauties have a hold on me stronger than any sibling wrestling move from the ‘70s.

They are similar in some ways yet vastly different, each with their own list of interests. One is an elite volleyball player who loves to sing, while the other plays atom hockey with the boys and is a die-hard dancer. They’re little fashionistas who are also athletic and artsy, comfortable in competition and their own skin.

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I’ve been asked many times if I’d like a son, a little Markie to toss around the ball within the backyard or shoot hoops with. Nope. Truth is, there’s absolutely nothing missing in my life. I’m so blessed and thankful for what I do have. Personally and professionally, I’ve been very fortunate. However, nothing compares to watching your child achieve something – from taking those first wobbly steps to conquering the potty. I swallowed hard watching them both leave pre-school and skip off to kindergarten, and celebrate each report card like it’s a Harvard degree.

LOVE A LITTLE HARDER

I refuse to take these moments for granted. Some aren’t as fortunate. My sister-in-law, Loretta, left us in her early 20s after a heroic battle with Cystic Fibrosis and, not to be morbid, but losing someone so young makes you love a little harder.

As a dad, each milestone is victory and each setback is a lesson. And I seem to be learning much more from them these days. Claire is teaching me that being a good sport is far better than being great at sports. And she’s a winner at both. 

Maddie, just nine, is teaching me that her mini-dance competition team is more unified, more devoted, than any provincial or national champion team I’ve played with. When your child cries following her last rehearsal because she’ll miss her dance ‘family’, you know she’s chosen the right stage.

Being a dad teaches you the best lessons. I’ve learned the power of a hug and the value of saying nothing. Seriously, sometimes a simple “good morning” can prompt an eye roll from your 15-year-old daughter. Who knew? Truth is, I was also that 15-year-old at one time – insulated by my little high school world and indifferent to my parents’ endless sacrifices. But time changes perspective.

This dad’s love is unconditional –stronger than any eye roll, heavier than any icky lyric, more durable than anything on the shelves at Sephora. I’d gladly puff my chest in front of the firing squad to save them an ounce of pain. But that’s how most dad’s roll, even if we’re not cool.

So here’s a heartfelt thank you to my little beauties this Father’s Day, a thank-you for giving me the greatest gift – Fatherhood.

Mark Dwyer is NTV’s Director of News and Current Affairs. He’s won numerous Atlantic and national awards for his work over the past 25 years.

Goulds resident Danny Ridgeley never thought he would get to experience the joys of becoming a father

As Danny Ridgeley speaks about the incredible joy of becoming a father, then the heartache when told, just hours after the baby’s birth, that she had a life-threatening heart defect, his tears are about as controllable as the weather.

COURAGE & RESILIENCE

During an interview at his home in the Goulds, Danny apologized several times for not being able to control his emotions. This proud father’s story is one of hope, courage and resilience.

Danny will never forget the call he received when he got home from the hospital, just hours after the birth of his first child, Julia. “I got a phone call from my wife saying the priest was called. When you hear that, you know your child is in trouble. I panicked. I didn’t know what to do,” Danny said.

Danny called his parents (George and Mary Ridgeley) who came to his home and drove him to the hospital. By the time he reached the Janeway, he said, his daughter had been stabilized and baptized. 

Shortly after her birth, doctors discovered that Julia had a serious heart defect that required immediate surgery that couldn’t be done in this province.

“The aorta and the pulmonary artery were on the wrong side of her heart,” Danny said. Less than 10 hours after the birth, the infant was transported by air ambulance to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.

HEARTBREAKING NEWS

Danny caught the first flight he could get to Halifax while his wife, Valerie, was recovering from the birth in hospital in St. John’s. She joined Danny at the hospital in Halifax as soon as she was released from hospital a couple of days after Julia’s birth. Less than two weeks after her birth, Julia underwent surgery to repair her heart. While not being able to hold his baby was heartbreaking, Danny knew everything possible was being done to save her life.

“When they strolled her to the operating room doors, a calm came over me. It was like – okay, it’s out of our hands now.”

Julia remained in the hospital in Halifax for about six weeks and was then transported to the Janeway in St. John’s.

“(Surgeons in Halifax) had to leave her chest open to leave room for swelling. It was brutal seeing a baby like that, especially your own child,” Danny recalled.

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After two weeks in the Janeway, Julia was well enough to go home. At age 10 or 11, staff at the Janeway’s cardiology department suggested – because Julia was born with a life-threatening illness –  she could qualify for a wish from the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Thanks to Children’s Wish, when Julia was 12 years old (and her sister Kayla was five) the family embarked on a trip of a lifetime – a Disney cruise.

“If there was ever a place called heaven, that was it. We had no worries. We swam with the dolphins; we got to see the Mayan ruins. The girls got to see the princesses. It was an incredible experience,” Danny said turning the pages of a scrapbook Valerie put together.

JOYS OF FATHERHOOD

Danny’s life story is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring. Diagnosed with cancer at age seven, he lost his leg to the disease at age 14. His health hasn’t been great over the years. Danny has a serious heart condition — unrelated to his daughter’s heart defect — which led to his early retirement from the provincial government. He continues to be under the care of numerous specialists.

With Father’s Day approaching, Danny said, his thoughts go to how lucky he is to not only be alive but to experience the joys of fatherhood. Something he said he never thought, earlier in his life, would ever happen.

“When I was growing up with cancer I never thought I’d get to be an adult… Then when I became an adult, I came out of remission. I had a tumor in my spine. So, as a young adult, I never thought I’d get to see marriage. Then, I met my wife a few years later… we hit it off, got married two years later. And now we have two beautiful children.”

Danny says he’s “a very lucky husband” and that he “counts his blessings to be a father. When they were growing up, I let them do my nails, curl my hair, I did the tea parties — I wouldn’t change things for the world.”

While Julia continues to see a cardiologist regularly, she is now a healthy 18-year-old who recently graduated from St. Kevin’s High School in the Goulds. Julia, who plans on studying business at Memorial University in September, said she has learned a lot from her father over the years.

“My dad has taught me that, even when you are at your lowest point, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve never seen my dad’s disability get in the way of him volunteering or driving me and my sister around – whether it’s to dance, piano or even to get food. When my dad was at his sickest he was always so strong for everyone else around him,” Julia said.

11-year-old Kayla also has kind words to say about her father. “Daddy always goes out of his way to help others. It makes me want to help others the way he does,” she said.

And both girls are indeed the icing on their father’s cake. “I couldn’t be prouder of Julia and Kayla is now following in her footsteps… We don’t have plans right now for Father’s Day. But, looking back on my life, just to be here with my family, my wife and two daughters, that’s all I ask for,” Danny said.

Some might say he’s one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s A-list celebrities, but regardless, Jesse Stirling is a name that rings familiarity throughout households across the island. Proving himself as a young prodigy and working his way up the media chain, Stirling was born into a family destined to be remembered as trailblazers. 

LOVE FOR NEWFOUNDLAND

Grandson of Newfoundland and Labrador broadcasting icon Geoff Stirling, and brother to Real Housewives of Orange County star Lydia McLaughlin, Jesse was born in San Fransisco, but spent a good chunk of his childhood on the rock.

“I feel like I was raised in Newfoundland. My very first memory is splashing around in some puddles by the ocean on the beautiful rocks down at my grandfather’s land in Torbay,” Stirling shared in an exclusive interview with The Newfoundland Herald.

“I already loved Newfoundland deeply by the time I moved here in junior high, then I went away for university and had a career in Silicon Valley, but then I came back in my late 20’s and spent basically 15 years working for my dad and helping run NTV, OZFM and The Herald. Long story short, Newfoundland has always meant a lot to me.” 

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Speaking of things that mean a lot, it’s about time we mention Stirling’s beautiful bundle of joy, Olivia, who has recently been welcomed into the world this past year. 

“I’m an older dad. I know that I would rather be a father now at 46 than I would at say 26. I don’t have a temper anymore, I have a lot more free time, and a little bit more stability. We tried for seven years to get pregnant.”

OUR LITTLE MIRACLE BABY

And those seven years were all but smooth sailing. For four years, the couple worked with a fertility doctor, and were given a 15 per cent chance of getting pregnant, which would continuously go down by 1 per cent per month in which they did not succeed. 

“After we went off all the fertility medicines, had the big talk, decided that we weren’t gonna be able to have a kid, we were fine with that, we thought maybe we’d adopt. Then one night, we went out on a date just for fun, my wife had a glass of wine for the first time in two years, and bingo, it happened. Our little miracle baby. I credit God and the wine,” Stirling laughed. 

“What I wasn’t ready for is you’re very worried and concerned when your wife is pregnant, you’re just hoping so much that this baby turns out okay. That worrying doesn’t stop once they’re born, there’s even more that can happen to them on the outside. It’s almost like a piece of your heart is just out there wandering through the world.”

Stirling also hinted that he, wife Amanda, and their baby girl do plan on moving to Newfoundland permanently, at some point, to embrace a childhood like his own for Olivia. 

“I want to have her remembering spending every summer in Newfoundland, and there’s gonna be a chapter where we live permanently in Newfoundland, like I did. Basically, I want to give her the growing-up experience that I had, the tradition continues.” 

JANEWAY CONNECTIONS

Part of that tradition is helping out the Janeway. After having a “near-death” experience at the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre as a kid, Stirling grew fond of the healthcare system, specifically the Janeway, and its welcoming vibes. 

“I woke up as a kid and I thought I had this weird, exotic disease and that I was dying, I had these grotesque boils all over my face and a 104-degree fever. I showed up and they said; you sir, have chickenpox,” he reminisced jokingly.

Seven years ago, the Janeway approached the Stirling family, and Stirling Communications, in regards to the Janeway Telethon. As a small, family-owned company, they questioned whether or not it would be too much to take on.   

“I give all the credit to the team of people, not even just our company, but it’s a lot of on-air volunteers and the many talented people behind the camera that you never see. No one’s doing it for the glory, the name and fame, or the money, we’re doing it just to help the children of this province.” 

“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians give more per capita than any other people in North America. This year’s telethon, I did a brief calculation, it was over six dollars per every man, woman, and child. It’s an insane amount of generosity. It’s for the children and the children are our future. It’s like building a foundation for your province. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

STRONG STIRLING ADVICE

What does the Newfoundland and Labrador broadcasting prodigy, proclaimed Lydia McLaughlin’s “super hot brother”, and new father, have planned for Father’s Day? Well, nothing! 

“This is the life of a travelling salesman. Unfortunately, I’m planning to have my first Father’s Day away from home. Maybe we can start some new traditions, ask the readers to write in with what their favourite Father’s Day traditions are and maybe I can copy a few of them,” he laughed.  

One thing Stirling does have an abundance of is very useful advice from his father and his grandfather, which has been passed down over the years and helped Stirling down his road of success. 

“I think the best advice my dad ever gave me was; pace yourself. When I was in high school, I loved pulling all-nighters and cramming for tests. Then as you get older, you learn that it is all about pacing yourself. Life, and your career, is a marathon, it’s not a sprint, so make sure that you have your work life balanced,” he shared. 

“My grandfather, it’s really hard to narrow it down to one piece of advice. I gotta quote his; “it’s all just a movie, buddy”. Life becomes very interesting when you start to look at everything as a movie and you’re the director, you’re totally responsible for every scene you’re creating, down to the bit players, the costuming, the dialogue. If you don’t like how the script is going, change it. 

“How the universe works, is if you’re putting out your intentions, the universe will give you a series of steps to take in order to achieve your goals and then it really requires a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication and ambition. The million dollars doesn’t come marching to you, what does come marching to you is the knowledge on how to make that million dollars. We can all be living the life of our dreams, it’s just a matter of focus.”   

Watch NTV 7:30 AM and 11:30 AM every Sunday to see Jesse Stirling on Meetings with Remarkable People and visit jessestirling.com for more info on his production company and upcoming projects.

Father’s Day, that day when every smiling child goes to a big box store to pick out one of many ties that will be given on June 17.  I’ve never had the privilege. Growing up wasn’t hard for me. I was raised by an extremely talented and wonderful single mom,  who took my teenage rebelling years with a song and a dance. My mother’s five brothers took it upon themselves to be assigned the role of father figure in my life, and every last one of them taught me something different. 

FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE

One brother taught me to love the outdoors. If I wanted to go fishing, he was the man to do it with. The second brother taught me all about Batman, and how Die Hard will always be a Christmas movie. They also taught me how to be independent like my mom, and they allowed me to blossom into the confident adult that I am today. 

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When I graduated high school, and the father and daughter dance was about to begin, I had to choose who was going to be my dance partner. I had five choices, which is a lot for an 18-year-old girl. 

When I started dating, my boyfriends became intimidated when they entered my house. They didn’t have to face one dad, but five. My current boyfriend wasn’t intimidated by the imposing five, and he has stuck around. 

AN INCREDIBLE FATHER

My relationship with my boyfriend has gifted me with a stepdaughter, so I can pass down all my knowledge that I have gathered over the years to her. I’ll make sure that she watches all the Die Hard movies when she’s old enough. He’s an incredible father, and I’m very grateful to have him in my life. I also don’t look back in shame in how I grew up. I didn’t realize at that time that I was given a gift that most children in single-parent homes didn’t have. 

So yes, I didn’t have to spend all my hard-earned babysitting money at the mall on just one brightly coloured tie, I had to buy five different ones for the five fathers that I have and I wouldn’t change those memories for the world. 

Amy Cleary, The Herald’s Intern, can be reached by emailing amy.cleary87@outlook.com