Kids often look up to their father as one of their greatest heroes. There are the long drives to sports tournaments, the late-night movies, and the sweets when Mom isn’t looking. We probably all have some reason to look up to our dad as one of our biggest influences. It’s Father’s Day this month, a special time of year when we take a moment to think about the sacrifices the father figures in our lives have made for us. Most dads are pretty great, but some go above and beyond the fatherly call of duty. Let’s take a look at some heroic dads who risked everything to keep their families safe. Brad Lewis: Over the Ledge Life can change in a split second, and how you choose to react in a moment of peril can define your legacy forever. Few people know this as well as Brad Lewis. When Brad and his young son, Oscar, were deeply entrenched in an intense Nerf battle, he surely didn’t think the situation would turn as dangerous as it did. When a few darts missed his father and landed on the balcony, Oscar ran after them but soon found himself teetering on the balcony’s ledge, 12 feet above the ground. Thinking fast, Brad grabbed his son just before he fell over, both taking the plunge while Brad protected his son with his own body.
father’s injuries were more severe. Brad was left fighting for his life in the ICU, with severe fractures to his skull and vertebrae. Thankfully, Brad is expected to make a full recovery and has made serious strides since the accident. He and his son will live to play another day. Greg Alexander: Couldn’t Bear to See His Son Hurt While camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in June 2015, Greg Alexander awoke to the sound of a nightmare. The screams of his son intermingled with the roars of an unknown assailant, beckoning Greg to his son’s tent. There, he found his son Gabriel being attacked by a bear. The bear had his son by the head and was dragging him away. Greg jumped on the bear’s back, desperately trying to take attention away from Gabriel. Amazingly, it worked, and in the end, the bear ran away. Gabriel was left with serious cuts to his head, but thanks to his dad’s heroism, the two were able to walk away from that campsite and back to their lives together. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to take a leap of faith or fight a bear to be a hero in your family’s eyes. Just be yourself, show some support, and do the best you can. Happy Father’s Day, everybody. Children’s of Alabama Children’s of Alabama started in 1911 and has continuously provided children suffering from illness or injury with expert medical care. Four years ago, Hare Wynn partnered with Children’s of Alabama to launch a unique program where they give free car seats to discharged hospital patients who would otherwise leave the hospital without a car seat. Hare Wynn has given more than $50,000 to this effort since 2015. Last year alone, Children’s was responsible for giving 240 car seats to families across the state. When a child is involved in an accident, they are more likely to be injured than an adult due to their fragile bodies and the size difference between their heads and bodies. It’s highly encouraged for families who have children ages 13 and under to have and use car seats. At Hare Wynn, our team understands the importance of the Children’s Car Seat Program, and we are honored to be apart of this incredible initiative.
Just as he’d intended, Brad absorbed most of the blow. While Oscar sustained serious wounds, his
Protecting Our Children Throughout Alabama
Avondale Elementary Bike Rodeo This educational and fun bike rodeo is a time where children can learn about street and bike safety while participating in a specialized course for students to bike through. The course offers several safety exercises, including identifying and obeying street signals and choosing the safest paths to travel on. Participating children are fitted with a helmet that they can take home and enjoy while biking. Since the program’s inception in 2016, we have distributed more than 500 helmets to children at our local Avondale Elementary School. Hare Wynn first sponsored this event three years ago and has been a partner of the program ever since, ensuring and spreading awareness for children’s safety in Alabama. If you’re interested in learning more or becoming involved in either of these programs, we encourage you to call our office or visit our website at HWNN.com.
O ur firm takes great pride in ensuring that our community’s children are safe, whether that be inside of a vehicle, out biking in their neighborhood, or anywhere in between. With this in mind, we’d love to share with you how fortunate we’ve been in finding resources to help make that possible. These outstanding organizations do wonders in our little part of the world, and we couldn’t be happier to partner with them. Let’s take a look at two of the fantastic programs we’ve been able to help support over the years.
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