James Tidwell Nomination for WA Fatherhood Council “Celebrate Dads’ Award

Nominated by Ron Hauenstein, SpoFI Executive Director

James was honored to be a recipient of the WA Fatherhood Council "Celebrate Dads" award On June 7, 2024. Only four dads In Washington received this honor.

James Tidwell is an inspiring father. James spent five lonely years separated from his children. During that time, he experienced homelessness, a battle with addiction, jail time and bankruptcy. But he then decided that his children deserved to have their father in their lives. It took him two more years to complete a long list of requirements, but he was finally reunified with his children in October of 2021. His steadfast commitment is the main reason James was named Co-Father of the Year by the Spokane Fatherhood Initiative in 2022.

Anyone who spends time with James will quickly realize that his children are the focus of his life. Everything he does is oriented toward spending more time with them, to help them grow in their character and education. This commitment to a challenging goal is rarely seen in our modern culture.

I have spent time with James and his children and have witnessed his love for them. His children clearly love their father and want to spend time with him.

When I think of James, who grew up fatherless, I often reflect on how easy it would have been for him to give up on his dream to be a father to his children. He could have concluded that they would be better off without him and that he lacks the resources to be a dad. But he never let the dream die. He overcame his remorse, his shame and his past behavior and said “My kids deserve a mom and a dad. I want them to have what I did not.” He then committed his life to making that happen. The joy I have seen on the faces of his children is ample evidence that his decision makes him more than worthy of the position he has longed for: Dad.

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