Fabulous Father: Rick Marler from Chattanooga

Kate Duggan could always count on her Father Rick Marler to be among the dads that made it to her team’s soccer games and cross country meets.  "He’s always been encouraging and supportive of everything that we do and he’s just the most helpful person ever, if you need anything he’ll drop what he’s doing to come help you out."

Rick keeps the lawn manicured at his church, does mission work, and never declines an offer to lend a hand.  Kate says that taught her the importance of serving others.  "We’re commanded to be here to serve others and as a Christian a fathers responsibility is to the family first and ourselves at the bottom of the list."

Two years ago, when it came time to plan Kate’s wedding, it came as no surprise that Rick stepped in the help out in an area most dads would be happy to be hands off.  Kate says he "helped with making the cakes and all the food for the reception, we did that ourselves and so we went and priced everything and he found the best prices and figured up how many people we would have and how much food we would need."

Kate began to see another side to her father this year, after the birth of her son, Grahm.  "All the baby talk and getting in the floor and playing with the baby."

Kate regularly brags on her father for his hardworking personality and perseverance and wishes everyone could have a father like hers.  "It means a lot that she thinks that of me. I’m not, I don’t consider myself special. I’m just a dad doing what dads are supposed to do," says Rick.

We’ll spotlight two more special dads from the Tennessee Valley, leading up to Father’s Day.  Share your father’s story with us.