“Corey Was the Best of Us”
by Bill McCusker
Fatherhood: In Pieces, for which I interviewed thirty-five dads of all stripes – old and young; rich and not so rich; black, white and Asian – identifies the most important Dad roles these men suggested: Provider, protector, disciplinarian, coach, listener….
Occasionally, we come across an everyday dad who stands out as an exemplar of one of these roles. Could we ever find a better example of protector than Corey Comperatore, the father who died when throwing himself on his wife and daughters during the Donald Trump shooting?
“He’s my hero,” said Corey’s wife. “He just said, ‘Get down.’ That’s the last thing he said.”
In a moving tribute after speaking with Corey’s wife, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro aptly said, “Corey was the best of us.”
Few of us will be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice protecting our loved ones as Corey did. But his love and heroism inspire us to take stock of two (two-part) questions, one personal and one social. How well are the fathers among us performing in these vital fatherhood roles, and how can we do better? Why have we let society denigrate the importance of fathers, and how can we rebuild the institution of fatherhood?
Asked another way, how can we be more like Corey and help other guys do the same? It’s a tall order perhaps. But is there a more important one?
Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Bill
[email protected]
Taking Charge
In my last missive, I introduced Kendall Qualls who with his wife Sheila runs the Minnesota non-profit TakeCharge which focuses on three foundational areas the Qualls believe must be revived: faith, family, and education.
The Federalist recently published Kendall’s article detailing how Donald Trump can win over black families by championing policies that promote two-parent families and address the issue of fatherless homes.
Here is a link to the article.
I have long said that the crisis of fatherlessness is one of the biggest problems we face as a society and is one of the two root causes of poverty and inequality (the other being the war on school choice). I have also argued that the issue of fatherlessness should cut across racial, gender, political, religious, and all other divides. As such, I have tended to avoid politics in my fatherhood discussions. So if someone believes I’m being too political in including this article, I suggest you reconsider. To me, Kendall’s insights into the devastation of the black family and how to restore it are compelling for all of us regardless of what side of the political aisle we sit on. To ignore them because the writer favors a certain presidential candidate seems shallow to yours truly.
NFL and Fatherhood?
Last time I suggested that Roger Goddell and Troy Vincent add Fatherhood to the list of acceptable messages on the back of helmets this year. In recent years, we have seen Black Lives Matter, End Racism, Choose Love, and a bunch of others. And no doubt we will see a lot of pink again this year signaling the NFL’s support of breast cancer awareness.
What about Fatherhood? The NFL’s reach and prominence could put an enormously beneficial spotlight on the importance of Dads. Would the league ever be inclined to do so?
We can only ask. This week, I will write to the NFL brass asking them to consider this idea. I have already asked two NFL stars to lend their support to such a move. If the NFL balks, couldn’t individual players – a few free thinkers – put a decal on their helmets? (I had a few printed and they look great!) Do you know any players whom you could approach with the idea?
Feel free to jump in. Use the image below if you wish. Send a quick note to Messrs. Goddell and Vincent voicing your support for allowing Fatherhood on NFL helmets in the 2024/5 season. They can be reached at NFL Corporate Headquarters, 345 Park Ave., New York, NY 10154. Also, feel free to approach a player you know with the idea.
Will you do it? I’ll bet Corey would.
