At times, the little heroic acts of dads seem to fade in the background but we believe that they deserve to be in the limelight as much as any celebrity. So For this Father’s Day, we made an online call asking readers to nominate their fathers. Kristina Chetcuti complied some of the most touching stories.

Dennis PaceDennis Pace

Hero: Dennis Pace

Nominated by: Dehnia Pace

I am a single mother of a three-year old girl, Elisa. Through this all my father was beside me every step of the way. He gave me strength to hold on when times got rough and I found myself alone. Most of all, he held my hand through my c-section while my daughter was being delivered as my mother was unable to be by my side. He held my new born daughter in his arms and looked at her with eyes full of love.

Above it all, he is the father figure in my daughter’s life. Along with my mother, he steps up and gives a helping hand whenever needed. He never gave his back when things got rough. He is my hero and my daughter’s too.

Martin BonniciMartin Bonnici

Hero: Martin Bonnici

Nominated by: daughter Donna

When my heart was utterly broken by my first love and it felt like my world had ended, I distinctly remember one time when I was sitting at the window, crying silently, when my dad just came up from behind me, placed his hand on my back and told me to let it out. He did not try to stop me or reason with me. He just supported me. It's probably not worthy of the newspaper article but I'll remember that moment forever.

Noel MamoNoel Mamo

Hero: Noel Mamo

Nominated by: his daughter Dorianne

When I was seven, I fell sick and it felt as if there were no way of getting out of it. Spending some two months away from school, dad was convinced that he wasn't going to allow seeing me lag behind with my schoolwork. So every day, right after work, he used to sit opposite my bed and we did my homework together. We did lots of this together for two months, and this saw me successfully pass on to my third year of primary school, celebrate my First Holy Communion with my school mates and feel it was all worth it.

I also treasure those times when he used wake up in the middle of the night and come pick me up from a long-series-of crazy-nights-out-era in Paceville.

We've been through some ups and downs, my dad and I. Today, after bravely battling some things of his own, daddy is even a bigger hero to me.

Thomas GrimaThomas Grima

Hero: Thomas Grima

Nominated by: his daughters Maria, Colette, Katia, Gabriella

Throughout our childhood our father taught us importance of the value of a united family, and he still does to this day.
When the eldest of us, Katia, was going to adopt Ben from Ethiopia, she realised she was pregnant. So while Katia and her husband were discussing the fact that he has to go alone to Ethiopia to bring their son home, our dad immediately offered his genuine help. He left everything for three weeks to go to Ethiopia with Katia’s husband to bring home his first grandchild. We think this was such an altruistic move that we could not let it go unnoticed.
We cannot imagine a world without Thomas Grima. He makes us feel loved, secure, safe, cared for and very lucky. You are the one we counsel for advice, for wisdom, and for encouragement. And that is why we call him our ‘superman’.

Jimmy GaleaJimmy Galea

Hero: Jimmy Galea

Nominated by: son Brian

Story: In my days Superman and Spiderman were the heroes everyone looked up to but not in my case. Growing up I noticed that the person who really inspired me was a guy called Jimmy: full of tattoos and tough looking yet a simple & hardworking guy. He likes a couple of beers, boxing & loves his wife and has always been there for us four boys. He is a guy who does away with money for himself to help others when needed. We are all so proud of him because he managed to pass on the values that help build a strong united family. Jim, my hero, my father.

 

 

Hero: Jason Vassallo

Nominated by: Josette Falzon, family friend

Jason VassalloJason Vassallo

Story: Jason lost his beautiful wife MaryAnn last week after battling with cancer for nine years. During the last four years, when cancer became more aggressive and his wife needed to be hospitalized frequently, Jason took over the running of the home and the care of their children completely. He is an amazing dad to his two daughters, Chiara, 15 and Michela, 13, now even more as he has to fill in the 'mummy' gap. Jason and the girls saw her suffer greatly during her final months, but during this suffering, he aptly managed to keep the family united. They were constantly by her bedside until the day she passed away.

 

 

 

Paul BonniciPaul Bonnici

Hero: Paul Bonnici

Nominated by: his children Ritienne, Ruben, Elaine

Our dad was a great fireworks manufacturer and he used to prepare fireworks for Saint Helen’s feast. He died doing what he loved, and like several other fireworks manufacturers, he didn’t make money out of it. To us he is a hero because he died doing things which have quite an important role in the feasts that take place on the Maltese islands. Many people watch fireworks displays, however they know little about the dedication and the work that fireworks’ manufacturing entails. Our dad’s heroic acts seem to be fading in the background, especially now that he’s gone. Nevertheless, he still remains our one and only hero.

Anthony AttardAnthony Attard

Hero: Anthony Attard

Nominated by: his children Angelica, Myranda, Christel and Oliver.

We're everything that we are because you love us. You have me the gift of trust and taught me what it means to feel safe. During those beautiful summer nights you would take my hand and start twirling me on the dance floor. You instilled in me the gift of rhythm and the love for movement. Day after day I remember waking up to the sound of Enya playing in the background and today I can appreciate the therapeutic role of music.

As I would sit at the piano practicing scales and arpeggios, you would pull up a chair and sit down after a day's work and listen to me for hours. By doing so you changed notes into the gift of music because there was someone listening.

Jonathan TullyJonathan Tully

Hero: Jonathan Tully

Nominated by: his son Daniel

I am studying at the St . Edward’s School in Year Four. My mother and father have been together for more than 12yrs now, and also I have a younger sister, her name is Marierose. My father has always been there for us, in good times, bad times no matter what. He is more like a friend to me, he believes that relationship between children and adults should be like that, so that most of the time we are on the same wavelength. I don't know where to start off with, I have no words to express myself, is to how I really feel about him, I am so thankful to God to have given me a father like him.

George AttardGeorge Attard

Hero: George Attard

Nominated by: daughter Marianne

My father has given myself, my brother and three elder sisters everything we could have asked for and supports us in everything we do. He is an ordinary man who has always provided for his family even through the difficult conditions such as financial and family problems, bringing up five children was a difficult task but I never once remember him complaining about it. I will always be grateful for all the little and big things he does for me personally, I could never ask for anything else. His love, discipline
and strength over the years has taught me to be the woman I am today
and I am forever grateful.

Tonio GaleaTonio Galea

Hero: Tonio Galea

Nominated by: Danica

I do not have a story of a rescue, or anything of the sort. But my dad is a hero for what he has done throughout his life, and not just on one occasion. My dad is always there for my brother, my mother and myself, and I don't know anyone who is a harder worker than him. When we tell him to relax, he always quips back: “Oh No, my job is to provide for you and to protect you'.

He is the one that carries the burdens and is constantly thinking and mulling over things which he will try to solve. He is the best dad I could ever wish for and I love you.

Alfred CardonaAlfred Cardona

Hero: Alfred Cardona known as ‘Lafoy’

Nominated by: Josianne

My Dad was, is and will always be my hero. Unfortunately today he's no longer with us, he died last year, after battling with cancer for seventeen years. He used to have a barber shop near St. Gaetan's church, Hamrun. There are no specific acts, albeit so many, which make him a hero in the eyes of the outsiders, but for me and my sister he was always our shelter, comfort and manifestation of love and affection.

I followed my father's passion for politics. He was always there ready to support me and inspite his old age he used to move heaven and earth to see me do well in all I was involved in. He was always my point of reference and my counsel. Even though not having an educational formation, he always could lend me words of wisdom.

Hero: Frans Chetcuti

Nominated by: his children Yanika , Kurt and Quentin

We do not have any extraordinary stories; to be honest we are a normal family facing ordinary day-to-day family problems. But we owe our dad a lot: our childhood, our family and our life principles. One of our most treasured memories is him teaching us how to ride a bike at Ta’ Qali. He always told us: “If you fall it’s no big deal, stand up and off again until you will fall no more”.

He is the kind of dad who read to us the same fairytale every night but always changes the details to make it a new story each time; who would wake up early in the morning to buy freshly baked bread for us to take to school, sit next to us as we prepared our school projects, drive us on all our errands so he could spend time with us, surprise us with a mug of hot chocolate and biscuits whenever we stayed up till late to study. I admire how much people genuinely respect him and how his simplicity earned him such a strong reputation.

Hero: Aldo Galea

Nominated by: his daughter Maria

My dad always works very hard - day and night for my mother and myself. Together with my mother, he played a vital part in my upbringing. As an only child, I am always his 'fessuda' but luckily enough he never spoils me. He is very patient, caring, sensitive, hard worker and a good listener too. The love and respect he shows us is tremendous. He is always willing to help us - his own family, our extended families and everyone. We do argue sometimes because he likes everything to be done with perfection and precision. People tell me that my character is very similar to my dad's. Which to me is simply brilliant.

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