Weekend Words – Uncle Jack

This week’s Words of Encouragement are about a very special person in my life, my Uncle Jack. You’ve probably heard the old saying that “it takes a village to raise a child.” As part of our extended families, aunts and uncles can be part of that “village” and play central roles in the lives of their nieces and nephews. In my case, I have been blessed to have an uncle who takes that role very seriously.

Uncle Jack somehow has always been there when I needed him most. He attended all of my major sporting events, starting when I was a young boy and continuing all the way through my college football career and even my college coaching career. Later, he was there for me in a big way in my career in business as well. Uncle Jack actually gave me my start in commercial real estate.

The importance of the role Uncle Jack has played in my life cannot be understated. I distinctly remember the times when he would put his arm around me after a loss in Little League football and tell me how proud he was of me. When I was getting started in business and a deal went sour, he would listen as I described my pain and frustration and once again would tell me how proud he was of me. He always encouraged me to keep trying when times are tough. Through all of this, Uncle Jack showed me again and again that he truly cared about me.

Uncle Jack, through the example he set, taught me how to be a success in life. He has had a very successful career in business, yet he always put family first and stressed to me how important family should be in my life. His kids, like me, always knew they could count on their Dad to be there when things got tough.

I attended a wonderful birthday celebration for Uncle Jack earlier this year, thrown by his kids. It was a wonderful experience to get to share with my family as we all expressed our gratitude and love to Uncle Jack. He was truly in his element,

A friend of mine was once a head football coach in the NFL. At the height of his career he said to me, “None of this really matters. It’s about our children; they are our legacy when we’re gone.” I know Uncle Jack is proud of the legacy he has created both as a father and an uncle. All of his children and nieces and nephews have found success in our various fields, but I think what makes him proudest is the kind of people we turned out to be.

Thank you, Uncle Jack. You’re the greatest uncle a kid could ever wish for.

Have a great weekend,

Ro