TAMPA, Fla. (BP)–At the All Pro Dad website (www.AllProDad.com), Tony Dungy helps deliver what is promised in its logo: “advice, events, family.”
It’s a source of information on “Father & Kids” events in NFL cities; NFL coaches and players who underscore the importance of being good fathers; organizing an All Pro Dads Day in a community; and downloadable family resources and “Billboards” that link to such topics as marriage, parenting and children.
And there’s “Dungy’s Diary,” a frequently updated blog interspersing short written pieces with videos and candid photos of the former NFL coach’s day-to-day activities as well as poignant reminders of life lessons. The blog is interactive with social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
In one entry, “My father and my hero,” Dungy talks about how his father influenced him to want to “make our country a better place to live” in addition to wanting to be a football player and a coach.
“Well, my dad was my hero in many, many ways,” Dungy says in the blog. “My dad overcame a lot of things. He was part of a generation where there was a lot of social change in our country. And when he started working, teaching and when he started in the military, they were all segregated. He worked hard through that process and became part of that solution. He did it on his own and he did it in a positive way.”
In another entry, titled “The one and only Bobby Bowden,” Dungy cites the former Florida State coach as an example to him for “the way” he won games, crediting Bowden for his presence on the field and the strength of his character and influence.
Dungy, who now has four adopted children, Jason, 10 months; Justin, 3; Jade, 8; and Jordan, 9, writes in his “Adoption is a wonderful option” entry:
“There are kids in our world today who truly need help. Yes, it is beneficial and helpful to them when they are visited or ministered to for a short period of time. Does that truly change their life? It could have a lasting impact on them, but does it truly change their life? My wife, Laren and I think that in order to truly, 100%, without a doubt change an unwanted, needy, helpless child’s life — you must take them out of the environment they are in and place them in a new loving environment. Have you ever thought about adoption?”
In the comment section are nearly a dozen heartwarming entries by those who have either adopted or been adopted.
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Joni B. Hannigan is managing editor of the Florida Baptist Witness newspaper (www.goFBW.com).
