Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

NBA player Etan Thomas helps kids who don't have a father

Details

  • Description

    Basketball player looks to make greater impact

  • Duration 3:29
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

America's News HQ

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Well on this Father's Day weekend -- found -- will take time out to honor their dads.

But for young boys and girls living without a father's love and guidance -- life can be indeed very tough.

NBA player Etan Thomas is the author of a new book called fatherhood and in it.

He speaks from the heart on how dads can actually help their children live their lives.

Beyond the -- Etan Thomas is an NBA freeagent during his career he's enjoyed playing for such teams as the Washington Wizards.

The Atlanta Hawks and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Several years ago at the age of 29 this talented and respected player received news that could have ended his career.

A leaky heart now forced him to undergo open heart surgery.

You know it changes everything.

Your whole your whole.

Outlook on everything and stuff like that during his recovery from the intense surgery Thomas who enjoys a very close relationship with his wife Nicole and loves being a family man have time to think -- grow rich.

In appreciating the joys of fatherhood.

And -- able to stand.

You know a lot of time with Balco.

Like we bonded.

Like really -- something that really just really open drives to it's it's being thankful for everything that you have and everything that you have been able to do.

From those times of reflection Thomas has been extending his reach beyond the NBA to serving youth and families throughout America.

He is a participant in president Obama's fatherhood initiative which encourages men to become a better fathers.

Thomas also reaches out to teenage boys and juvenile detention or tough environments who are living without a father.

He encourages them by sharing his -- life experiences of being a child.

Without a dead at home -- -- Myself in this.

Go to Maine and like I could easily be sitting right where you're sitting visits by grace of god I'm not what is the message you're trying to drive home to.

American dads -- my real reason for wanting to write this book in the first place.

Just inspire.

Young people who grew up in a situation.

Where they did have a father in the home we always heard.

Statistics of telling us how.

You know you don't you come from broken home and you you know you're not gonna make it -- -- -- -- -- life isn't over he still have to be able to make it so you -- you you recognize that it even though it's not the most favorable.

Situation.

Is -- situation you have you make the most of it.

They helped deliver a wake up call to men Thomas elicit the help of highly revered professional athletes coaches actors politicians and leaders of faith.

To share their insights on being a dad.

Men like Kareem Abdul Jabbar Yao Ming former tennis champ Andre Agassi after -- -- ice team.

Tony Hawk.

And more how -- you know I had other people.

Talk to me when I was younger and so with his book I want to get people who young people recognize and everybody just on the positive stories.

Or stories of their expenses of what they've learned -- this really just learning from other people's experiences.

A lot of the stuff that he is helping young men come to terms with now he walk through the process as he wrote the book as a as a husband -- is.

Grace is his time he's encouraging and supporting and loving and as a father is all those things as well also this just -- -- -- you know all we met is -- that when it is now.

That as the greatest compliment you can get from a wife a -- Thomas doing his best encourage fathers to help their children.

Live their life beyond the jury.

Load More