With Father's Day coming up this Sunday, we are all inclined to think of the father figures in our lives that made us who we are today. Unfortunately, not everyone has been fortunate enough to have a great relationship with their biological father. Sometimes it's divorce, abandonment, or even death that cause us to lose touch with our dads, but hopefully we all still have a father figure that we can look up to, to help guide our way.

This article is for all those people out there, including me, who have a father they appreciate that isn't their actual father.

Like more than half of Americans these days, my parents are divorced and have been for a while now. My grandfather took over being the main father figure in my life and has been so for 19 years. He has pushed me, funded me, disciplined me, and done countless other things for me that I won't ever know of. I owe all of who I am today to him and what he has done for me.

For all of you who have the same or even different circumstance as me, be sure to thank the man you look up to. These men stepped up and took that role as father figure, and that is to be commended and respected. Taking responsibility for someone's well being and shaping them for the better is not only hard, it's irresponsible if you don't take it seriously.

To all the men who take this role and support us in more than one way, thank you. You have done and continue to do the things that push us forward. You may or may not get the thanks you deserve, but you love us and give us all of the love and respect that a father should.

Happy Father's Day.