10 Reasons My Father Is Still Cool!

Happy Fathers Day to all of the dads out there!  I'm writing tonight about my own father.  As any of my readers know, I am very close to my father.  We share many of the same interests, and we really have a special relationship, that is more of a friendship, than a typical father/son relationship.  I have tried over the years to emulate my father, with varying success.  There is only one Leo Costantino, that is for sure!  Ok here goes, here are 10 reasons that my father is still cool!

He is pushing 70 and can still ski the moguls like a 25 year old, and he can do it all day long!

Like my old Friend Billy to the left he is always there when I need him.  This photo is at this year's Purple Stride Rhode Island which is a run/walk I have been the event coordinator for since it's inception.  My Father never shies away from helping out when he can.

Even when I have a stupid idea he still listens.  Hell he loves stupid ideas too!  This is me, and a water wheel contraption that I built out of an old heater blower.  Notice the beer bottles in hand.

When I rode my first 200 double century to honor my friend Karen Petty and to fight against pancreatic cancer he was there to support me in the support car for 14 hours straight, and then jumped on his bike for the last 10 miles to ride in with me.  Last year he rode 100 grueling miles of the ride at 68 years old to honor our friend Karen, and to support a cause that he knows is so important to me.  He has an iron will, and spirit that won't quit.  This morning while we were all laying in bed he was out busting out 50 miles on his bike.  He's 69 and he still does that like it's cool!

The man is the most mechanically talented person I've ever met.  Here he is flying in a plane that he built from scratch.  It was literally a pile of lumber when he started working on it.  Last Christmas he built me a miniature working steam engine out of scrap metal, and it's beautiful!

He's still an awesome teacher.  Where I sometimes lack the patience to teach my kids about the things I love, he calmly teaches them about things that he thinks might interest them.  Whether its sewing with Abby or cutting foam with a homemade hot knife with Ailey, he is always thinking of cool ways to show the kids about the things we love, and he passes those interests on so well!

After all of these years he can still take a joke!

He's always there right at the opportune moments to make a complete jack ass out of me.  Here I am after snaking a 6" flue pipe down my chimney.  Actually I couldn't have gotten that thing in without dad's muscle that day!

He's always there for my kids.  Here he is at an event my daughters ran to help raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project.  This was a proud day for this Father/Son Marine duo!

He's an eternal jackass!  Here he is goofing off with his buddy Frank.  He's always up for a good time.  Always!

What can I say.  I've been blessed to have such a great father.  Almost all of my hobbies and interests that I love today were learned from my father.  Those interests have led me to an active lifestyle that has been awesome for me and my family.  I am truly honored to be called Leo Costantino's son.

Good God.  This is all going to go right to his head.  I'm almost afraid to press the publish button, but what the hell, it is Fathers Day after all!

Happy Fathers Day Dad!

You're Wacky Son - Eric