Name: Jeremale Mahone City: Atlanta GA

What does being a father mean to you?

Fatherhood to me is showing love and dedication. I just love being a father. It’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s one of God’s greatest gift a man could ever ask for. The best thing about being a dad is the pride in raising someone.

You’re a leader and a supporter, you’re a teacher — you are somebody.

Fatherhood is providing the best possible life for my girls by making sacrifices so they don’t have to. It is about teaching them to learn from their mistakes but not to be afraid to make them. The Lord has entrusted me with three of his children, and the most important job I have is to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It isn’t about how good they are at sports or even schoolwork. To raise them to have a servant mindset is the most important thing I can do.

What advice would you give others new on their fatherhood journey?

It goes fast one day you’re skin to skin in the hospital after they’re born then home changing diapers then boom they’re graduating and off to college. I lost a lot of time chasing a career chasing money and tried to replace my absence with all the toys, electronics, vacations and bells and whistles that I could come up with to justify my crazy obsession with my career. Granted I was making good money but I left a lot on my wife to be at all the events, all the homework things like that. If I could do it all over again I would’ve taken less money and been more present in the moment. That’s time I’ll never get back and it eats you up.

If you could write a quick letter to your father, starting with “Dear Father,” what would you say?

I Dad Different by teaching my children about right and wrong and encouraging them to do their best. I let them know that they’re going to make mistakes and some time even some bad choices but it’s about how they overcome those obstacles and get back on target so they can maneuver through life the right way. I use everyday examples to help children learn the basic lessons of life.