Fathers are among the most important individuals in our lives. Fathers are the sweetest people we have the pleasure to meet, hard on the outside and gentle on the inside. With Father’s Day approaching, here are some heartfelt and inspirational Goan stories of fathers who helped deepen the bond between a father and his child.
A good father may make a huge difference in a child’s life by guiding their profession, boosting their self-esteem, teaching them useful skills, and providing them unconditional love. We are incredibly appreciative of all of the incredible fathers out there who do these things on a daily basis. However, sometimes extraordinary circumstances force a father to make extraordinary decisions, and we applaud these fathers for going above and beyond to assist their children.
Father’s Day in India falls on 19th June this year.
- A Dad in Benaulim turned their house into a giant board game
Staying at home during quarantine due to the new coronavirus pandemic was necessary for the Dias family’s health, but it was also tedious, especially for Jonathan, who was eight years old at the time. So his father, Jeremy suggested they play a board game—but not just any board game, like CandyLand or Clue. He wanted to transform their entire first floor into a massive, modular, life-size board game.
“There are so many ways we can take it apart and put it back together,” Jonathan explains. “I get to help pick which spaces perform particular tasks, and then my father and I compete to see who comes out on top.” It makes me so happy when I defeat him! “The referee is my mother.”
During the quarantine, this game, along with other handcrafted games Jeremy creates entirely out of cardboard, helps him keep healthy and entertained. However, these games have another purpose: they enable Jonathan feel in control of an aspect of his life, making the pandemic and other unpleasant news feel less terrifying and overpowering. “I was depressed as a kid and a teen, and I don’t want that to happen to Jonathan,” Jeremy says, adding that the game allows the second standard student to express his feelings and concerns. It seemed to be working: “It’s so much fun; I adore that I get to spend the day with my dad,” he says.
Check out these Father’s Day 2022 Events & Celebration in Goa
- Jennifer’s Dad helped her create a safer wheelchair
Jennifer was born with cerebral palsy and has spent her entire life in a wheelchair as a result of it. When her father, Rozario, a tiatrist from Moira, became concerned about the possibility of her falling over in her wheelchair—an all-too-common occurrence that takes 10,000 people to the hospital each year, according to some estimates—he decided to take action.
He started working with his brother Jered, who is also an engineer, a little over two years ago. “We discovered no one else was working on this topic in a meaningful way, so [we] set out to find a solution for Jennifer,” says one of the authors.
“This began as a pastime, and we were hacking Jennifer’s wheelchair to assist her, with the expectation that once we were finished, we would buy her the real deal technology,” Jered continued. He created a working prototype that “wouldn’t allow her run into things or drive off steps” and “would let her go out in the backyard alone and receive help when she needed it.”
As it turned out, there was no such technology available. As a result, the brothers decided to crowdfund their innovation in order to bring it to a wider audience. “What began as a labor of love among family members has resulted in a safer, more stable way for persons with disabilities to navigate their world and stay connected to loved ones,” said Rozario.
The end result is a hardware and software platform that “uses sensor-fusion technologies to allow the wheelchair to see its environment and avoid collisions, prevent deadly drop-offs, and provide exceptional stability, security, and cloud connectivity,” according to the researchers. The best part is that it can be linked to a wheelchair, eliminating the need to acquire a new one.
Check out these Father’s Day Gifts to Goa, Send Online Gift for Dad
- “My dad shaved off his head for me”
Trevor Braganza, who was seven years old at the time, was playing with his younger brother when he banged his head. Valencio Braganza, his father, took him to the hospital to have him checked out just to be safe. However, a CT scan revealed that what seemed to be a goose-egg was actually a major head injury, with Trevor suffering a skull fracture and brain hemorrhaging. The kid had only hours to survive, according to the doctors, unless he received emergency brain surgery.
Trevor was aware that the surgery was required, but he was understandably afraid, particularly at the prospect of having to shave his head. Valencio reassured his kid that everything would be fine, and he shaved his head to prove it.
Trevor, who is now eight years old and fully recovered, says, “Seeing my dad’s bald head made me giggle and also made me feel a lot better about my head.” “Right now, my father is teaching me how to buy fish at Goan markets, which is a lot of fun.” He is a hero to me!”
- My father has called me every single day for the last 20 years
“My parents split when I was a child, and I lived with my mother, but my father was determined to keep in touch with me,” Maria De Souza of Siridao says. But her father, Felix De Souza, wasn’t content with a passing visit to catch up; he wanted to show his daughter that he was always thinking of her and loving her.
“Since the day he moved out, my father has contacted me every single day,” she says. He contacted her on a daily basis, even when she could only talk on her mother’s phone, when she was a busy adolescent, or when she was in Sophia Mumbai and too busy to answer. “Even though I’m 24 and live on my own, my father still calls me every day to see how I’m doing and to check-in.
On days when I don’t have much to say, he’ll read me a poem he found or tell me about a book he’s reading. He is constantly learning new things, so he always has something fascinating to say,” she explains. “This is his way of expressing his love for me, and I know he’ll always be there for me, even if he can’t always be physically present.”
- He stepped in as my dad when I needed a father the most
“Until I met Victor Fernandes, I was an immature, furious boy with no parent,” Steven Mendonca explains. Victor coached Steven’s local football team, but he claims he was much more than a coach to many of the lads, functioning as a mentor and father figure. This meant being tough when the situation called for it.
“I recall mouthing off at one practice, and he told me I could leave if I didn’t like what he was saying. He says, “I tossed my jersey down and stormed out.” “The next day, after I’d cooled down, he told me that having emotions and expressing them is wonderful for guys, but I couldn’t let them control me.” That was a watershed moment for me.”
Victor remained in Steven’s life long after he graduated from high school, encouraging and supporting him throughout his pursuit of a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Chowgule College, as well as his ideal position in academia. He says, “Coach Victor still calls and checks in on me all the time; he’s been essential in everything I’ve accomplished.” “Even though we aren’t related by blood, he is my father.” He refers to me as his son, which I regard as a wonderful honor.”
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- My husband is finding a cure for our daughters’ disease
Sunil & Sarita Naik noticed their oldest daughter Sarika wasn’t developing normally when she was just three years old. After two years of tests and specialists, she was finally diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C, an extremely rare, progressive, and ultimately fatal genetic disorder. Additional testing discovered that Sarika’s two-year-old sister, Sunita, also had the disorder.
“While we were trying to process all this, Sunil decided he was going to do whatever it took to find a cure for our girls, even if it takes the rest of his life,” Sarita says. “He told me, ‘We don’t have control over the fact that both of our children have NPC, but we do have control over what we choose to do about it now.”
The pair started a Milaap fund, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness and funds for research for the rare disorder. “He has loved the girls from the second he first held them after they were born and they mean everything to him,” she says. “This foundation, and finding a cure for them, has become his life’s calling.”
“This year Sarika’s birthday falls on the same day as Father’s Day and having her, and Sunita, still with us is the best gift I could get,” she says.
- My father bought me my dream wedding ring
Sharon Mathias and Robin Mathias were high school sweethearts at Red Rosary, and the two kept in touch even after Robin left to serve on the ship, planning to reunite when he returned. They’d talked about getting married in the future before he departed, and Sharon had even selected her ideal ring—a yellow gold band with an emerald cut diamond encircled by three prongs of tiny diamonds.
“I was completely enamored with this ring; it simply shined.” It seemed as though I was infatuated with it. Every week, I’d go into the store to see if it was still there. I did this for months until it vanished one day. “I was heartbroken,” she says.
She forgot about her dream ring until several years later when Robin proposed. “I was so shocked when he proposed with that exact ring,” she says. It turns out that her father, Timothy, had seen how much she loved it and bought it for her, saving it for a future day when he could give it to her future husband. “We of course paid my dad back, and I love it that much more now because it reminds me how much both of the men in my life love me!” she says.
Looking for a cool gift for your Dad? Check out these Father’s Day Deals in Goa
- My papa learned to sew to make me my favorite traditional dress
Manuel Rodrigues and his three children, Ana, 16, and Lucy and Suzie, 14, live in San Anton Vaddo Chicalim. He’s been parenting his children alone for 10 years, and while he’s able to meet all of their physical requirements, he still worries that they’ll suffer without their mother, which is why you’ll often find him embroidering late at night after his work and duties are finished. A mother must sew her daughters a beautiful shirt that is detailed, beaded, and vividly coloured embroidery of birds and flowers, as per their family tradition.
“The blouse is an important part of our family’s history.” “Our great-great-grandmother began crocheting them for her daughters, and so forth,” his granddaughter said. “Each one is distinct and has a meaning that is frequently associated with the girl’s characteristics.” Manuel taught himself the technique and designs, and each blouse took him more than 20 hours to complete. Some of his pals tease him about it since it’s out of line with macho culture, but he doesn’t listen to them, she says, adding, “He’s a hero to us. Nothing else is important.”
- My father planted a vegetable garden for me
“My father and mother emigrated to Swindon, and to make ends meet, my father worked three jobs.” He did everything he could to make my life better, but because he worked so hard, I didn’t have much of a bond with him as a youngster,” Nathan Cardozo explains. “I knew he loved me because he was always there for me, but we never talked about it.”
Then, seven years ago, his father arrived at his house with a variety of plants and told him he wanted to work with him to start a vegetable garden. Norman’s father had a passion for gardening, and he was keen to pass on his knowledge to his son, as well as ensure that they had a plentiful supply of healthy food. “Since then, he’s done it every spring.” He persists on gardening despite the fact that it is a backbreaking job and he is 90 years old,” he says.
Because the coronavirus epidemic prevented them from continuing the ritual this spring, Nathan and his wife built a vegetable garden and informed him everything about it. “He was overjoyed to learn it. He explains, “Instead of just telling me he loves me, this garden is his way of demonstrating it.” “I was deeply moved, and I look forward to continuing our tradition next summer.”
Each of these Goan father’s day stories is sentimental to the core and will add more value to your relationship with your dad. Maybe with these stories influencing you, you can consider honoring your dad with a father’s day special gift. The names may be fictitious, but the emotions are not. The inspiring circumstances are real.
