NEW YORK – This Sunday, June 21 is Father’s Day. This is the one day a year that we all celebrate and commemorate that special person in our lives who raised us, guided us through life, who constantly supports us and who loves us unconditionally.
Whether that’s your ‘baba’, ‘pappou’, ‘thio’, or a father-like figure, it’s time to honor them, and this year, Greek-American and Greek-Cypriot youth from the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens expressed what their baba means to them, as well as shared their favorite memories with them.
Konstantina Pagkas
In a comment shared to The National Herald, seven-year-old Konstantina Pagkas from Brooklyn, NY, expressed what her baba, Dimosthenis Pagkas, means to her.
Antonios and Konstantina Pagkas with their baba, Dimosthenis Pagkas. (Photo: Courtesy of the family)
“To me, dad means someone who always takes care of me and makes me laugh,” Konstantina told TNH.
As a young girl who loves traveling to Greece to visit her family in the summer with her parents and younger brother, Antonios, Konstantina shared how her favorite memory with her dad includes“going to the beach in Rhodos with my dad.”
Describing her baba in three words, “fun”, “silly,” and “playful”, Konstantina expressed a special message for her baba in honor of Father’s Day on Sunday.
“One thing I want to say is ‘you’re the best dad in the world,” she said.
Sofia Emalie Dowling
Sofia Emalie Dowling and her daddy, Matt Dowling. (Photo: Courtesy of the family)
Three-year-old Greek-American Sofia Emalie Dowling from Long Island, NY, shared some of her favorite memories with both her daddy and pappou with The National Herald.
Asked about her favorite memory with her father, Sofia said, “when daddy reads me four books every night.”
When speaking about her pappou, TNH and Ethnikos Kirikas Advisor to the Publisher Antonis Diamataris, Sofia said she loves “when he takes me to the restaurant and I eat chicken, broccoli, and pasta.”
In honor of Father’s Day, Sofia also shared a special message for her daddy: “Happy Father’s Day – I love you!”
Asked to describe her pappou in just three words, she simply replied, “books, books, books.”
Constantia Andreou and Barbara Andreou
The 14-year-old twins from Whitestone, NY, Constantia and Barbara Andreou, expressed what their baba, Fitos Andreou meant to them ahead of Father’s Day.
Left to right: Barbara, Fitos, and Constantia Andreou. Photo: Courtesy of the family
“My dad means the world to me. He is always there for me no matter what and always sticks by my side,” Constantia told TNH.
“My dad means a lot to me and he is a good role model and I couldn’t even imagine life without him,” Barbara expressed.
Sharing their favorite memory with their baba, Constantia shared “my favorite memory with my dad is when I was little playing a game called ‘monster in the park’ where he was the monster and had to try and get me and my sister.”
Barbara added how for her, her best memory with her baba was attending a father-daughter dance when she was in first grade.
When asked to describe their dad in three words, Constantia said – “hardworking, funny, and loving”, whereas Barbara said “hardworking, supportive, and funny.”
In a message to their beloved baba for Father’s Day this year, the twins shared the following messages:
“Happy Father’s Day dad!!! I love you so much you always support me, and you are always by my side. Thank you for everything,” Constantia said.
“If I could say one thing about him for Father’s Day it would be he is always there for me and teaching me important life lessons and I appreciate everything you do,” Barbara said.
