Nearly a thousand people turned out Saturday night for the American Diabetes Association's Father of the Year awards. For 12 years, the ADA has recognized local fathers who are leaders in their industry, who also manage to be great dads, and give deeply to their communities. As in years past, the grand ballroom at the Westin on College Street was filled with family and friends, there to help celebrate five incredible men.
Honored at this year's event were: Tom Hughes, Gene Flood, Mark Allison, Ravi Patel and Carlos Evans. We got a chance to hear from their families about how these men juggled their important work at the office while still focussing on their most important work at home!
The event is a major fundraiser for the ADA. An organization that works tirelessly across the country, and right here in Charlotte. We have five local researchers in the Queen City working to help find a cure for diabetes. Right now the disease impacts 29 million Americans, and sadly those numbers are growing rapidly among young children.
Race car driver Miguel Paludo shared his story. His was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a young man. But Miguel and his wife Patricia's world changed when their young baby Oliver, now nine months old, was diagnosed. As we sat eating dinner before the evening got underway, I was stunned to see them pulling out equipment to test the baby's levels. Patricia told me every night, every two hours, she or Miguel, must get out of bed and check Oliver's levels. It is the only way to manage his diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association will continue its hard work to one day prevent those sleepless nights for families like the Paludos. It was my honor to be there, as my own family has been touched by diabetes. On behalf of my dad, who struggles with diabetes to this day, I was happy to be a part of an event, that just might raise that extra dollar that goes towards finding a cure. Happy Father's Day to you PopPop, and to all our dads.
