Meet The Dad Who Started A YouTube Channel Designed To Help People Who Don't Have A Father Figure
That dad we all need.
YouTube Unfortunately, many people in this world are left to grow up without a father figure in their lives.
If you're one of them and ever found yourself wondering, "Dad, how do I...?", there's now a YouTube channel for that.
At the age of 14-years-old, Rob Kenney's father left him and his seven siblings to fend for themselves after he and his wife went through a nasty divorce. Kenney has explained that his father never wanted the children but he won custody of them anyway because the mom had a problem with alcohol. Kenney's father would leave the children alone for periods at a time, only coming by to leave them with groceries.
In his adulthood, Kenney started seeking God and after he married, he had a hard time. He lost his job, had a pregnant, working wife, and he hit rock bottom.
“I thought I had it together, and boy, everything just started falling apart. I cried out to God and said, ‘Lord, if You solve this, if You get me out of the mess I’ve made for myself, I’ll search You out and try to understand whatever I can about You,' Kenney told Shattered Magazine. "And dang it if He didn’t come through. He called my bluff.”
Kenney eventually reunited with his father. “I know how much God has forgiven me. How can I hold something against somebody else?” Kenney explained about his decision to seek his father out.
Unfortunately, Kenney's father died shortly after.
Not wanting to ever let his own children or even other young men who grew up without a father, he came up with the idea of his YouTube channel to provide a father figure and weekly tutorials to those who needed them.
He only just started his YouTube channel because, as he says, "I had lots of excuses, but while we’re in quarantine, I ran out of excuses."
He calls it "Dad, How Do I?"
The Dad, How Do I YouTube channel provides tutorials for everything you could possibly ever imagine that a dad would teach their children or things that are not taught in school. He's made videos for jumping a car and fixing a faucet, just to name a couple.
As Kenney explained to Shattered Magazine, "My goal in my life was to raise good adults. I never wanted to be wealthy. I never wanted to be necessarily successful. My goal in life was to raise good adults — not good children but good adults — because I had a fractured childhood."
He continued, “I want it to be about everyday tasks, but I also would like to pass along some of the wisdom I’ve learned along the way to encourage people… I thought I was just going to be showing people how to do stuff, but it’s kind of resonating on a whole different level.”
His first video uploaded to his channel was "How to Tie a Tie." And some of his other most popular videos include "How to Change a Tire" and "How to Unclog a Bathtub Drain."
Now Kenney has over two million subscribers to his channel and he's a go-to figure for those who need something only a father can give, as well as for those looking to become good fathers themselves.
“I've always been scared that when I grow up and if I become a father I won't be able to teach my children ‘dad’ things because no one taught me. Thank you, this might change that,” one commenter wrote.
And sadly, another viewer on his channel asked, “Is this what a normal dad looks like?”
Kenney's little idea transformed into something greater because those who need a father figure in their life are turning to him to be that for them. He brings hope to those who are struggling without a present parent investing in their lives.
Kenney is making a major difference in the world and he should be recognized this coming Father's Day as one of the good ones.
Emily Francos is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationship topics.