The burden of Anthony Newton’s past is outweighed by his longing to right the future, a turmoil he says started the day his father left.
“I was missing that leadership ability of not having a father,” Newton said. “I missed that mentor.”
That void, Newton said, carried over to his daughters, with whom he has a strained relationship.
“I got pushed away along with the drugs and turbulence of life,” Newton said.
On Saturday, the Potter’s House of Denver held its second annual No Man Left Behind breakfast in Civic Center park.
More than 1,000 people gathered for eggs, juice and prayer, part of the UnFathers Weekend.
The weekend supports children growing up without a father in the home, celebrates role models who have stepped in and brings together fathers who may have themselves left a family.
“The most important words we can say to each other are ‘you can do it,’ ” said Steve Chavis, spokesman for Potter’s House of Denver.
The event provides Newton, 52, of Denver with support in improving his relationship with his daughters, now 19 and 20.
About 40 percent of children nationwide grow up in a single-family home, Chavis said.
“We are so grateful for the job that single parents do — it’s heroic,” Chavis said. “But it shouldn’t be so hard.”
Denver Mayor-elect Michael Hancock and Denver City Councilman Doug Linkhart spoke at the breakfast, which included free haircuts, a car show and prizes.
Mentoring young men about the responsibility they have when creating a family can break the cycle of single-family homes and “give families a momentum for success,” Chavis said.
Charles Tamale tapped his foot to the lively beat and bowed his head as he whispered “hallelujah.” His father died when Tamale was 6.
“I grew up with my mom, praise the Lord she was there for me,” Tamale said.
While Tamale, 41, and his brother missed having a father in their lives, they never let it slow them down, he said.
“If I turned out OK, anybody can turn out OK,” Tamale said. “Everybody has an excuse — no excuses.”
Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794 or jsteffen@denverpost.com
