This piece really hit home for me. I used to date someone who had split custody of his two children with his ex-wife, but the hoops and ladders she would go through to make it difficult for him to be a present father were frustrating and absolutely heartbreaking to witness. The powerlessness that father exclusion brings is something I watched consume a good man who wanted nothing more than to show up for his kids.

Personally, my father has had an astronomical impact on my life, and I wouldn’t be where I am now without his love, guidance, and support. Nick O'Hara’s story is a testimony that deserves not only to be heard but also to be acted upon. I know what having a present father has meant for my life. I couldn’t imagine what the cost would have been if that opportunity had been deliberately stolen from him, as it has been for Nick.