Local Dads, By Aloise Schmitt
s far as many children are concerned, their dad is a hero no matter who he is. Ten there are those who we all recognize as heroes. Tey are the men who risk their safety—and even their lives— every day for the betterment of ours. Tis Father’s Day, Family! wants to recognize a few of our local heroes who have dedicated their lives to protecting not only their own families, but ours as well.
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Why is your dad a hero? “He saves everybody and I think
that’s pretty cool. I think that makes him a hero.”—Brooke, 16
Capt. Chris Woods Captain Chris Woods, 35, is one of the
youngest captains at the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) and is a three-time JFRD Paramedic of the Year. But he will tell you that his No. 1 priority in life is his family. He and his wife Kelly have three daughters, Brooke, 16, Lindsey, 13 and Rachel, 10, and are in the process of adopting a fourth, baby Breanna. “My family is my sanctuary,” he says.
Chris says as a first responder it can be
challenging for fathers to not relate frightening or dangerous situations back to their families. “You walk a fine line of trying not to be overprotective…you can’t be there every given moment, and
“He’s very good at what he does.
He is very smart…he’s pretty cool!” —Lindsey, 13
“Because he saves people and he’s
a good daddy. He always makes time for me.”—Rachel, 10
sometimes that’s a tough pill to swallow seeing what we see.” However, he feels his career has been very rewarding and he cherishes the ability to help people in need. “Tere’s no plaque or medal or title they can give me that will replace that feeling, or that moment that I had a positive influence on somebody in what could have been the worst moment in their lifetime.”
Above all, Chris cherishes his family.
“If I’ve had a tough shift, that’s the first place I want to go…I’m ready to go home and spend some time with my family, and I’m blessed to have them,” he says. “I could not imagine what my world would be like without my family.”
Even when he is not out to sea, Neal’s
Lt. Neal Banta Lieutenant Neal Banta, 35, is a
helicopter pilot currently stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville who has served in the Navy for more than 15 years. He and his wife Tara have two children, Josie, 5, and Matthew, 1.
schedule can be hectic. “With the flight schedule, I miss certain things. Tere are days when I just don’t see my kids.” It’s tough, he says, but his wife, who also served in the Navy before having children, is supportive of his career. “I’m really lucky to have Tara. She really understands the kind of commitments that I’ve had to make for the job.”
Time spent away from home is the
biggest challenge. “When I left for… deployment, we said our goodbyes and it was pretty emotional. It was hard.” However, long separations mean very joyous reunions. “Te pictures that you see with families reuniting, it really feels…just
Why is your dad a hero? “Because he always saves me
from the bad guys!”—Josie, 5
like it looks,” he says. “You’re back, and everything is right again.”
In the end, Neal hopes that his
children will be proud of him. “I feel like I’m doing something important. It might not be every day, but the long-term job that I do is, I think, worthwhile and important, and I think my kids will think that…their dad did something important for his country.”
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