Demario Forskin overcomes several rough months to be named Father of the Year
Published:Monday | July 1, 2024 | 12:10 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Demario Forskin, Jamaica’s Father of the Year 2024 awardee through the annual Eternal Father Awards, says the last year has not been smooth sailing for him.
Thirteen months after the birth of his daughter, Brielle – which means ‘Heroine of God’ – he lost his job as an accountant, which forced the St James father to find new and innovative ways, primarily through entrepreneurship, to provide for his young family.
To add to that despair, at the start of the last year, his wife, Alethia, had to leave their home for the capital city, Kingston, to pursue higher education in an effort to improve her family’s standard of living.
With his wife away, Forskin, who himself lost his father at a very young age, has been playing the roles of both mother and father without complaining. It is for this reason his wife decided to create a video and submit it to the Eternal Father Awards.
“Shortly after our daughter was born, unfortunately, he lost his job - a moment that would be challenging for any new parent. Instead of disappearing, he viewed it as an opportunity to work harder at his side hustle, ensuring that our daughter had everything she needed. Thanks to his tireless effort, she was never without diapers, wipes, or any of the essentials,” Alethia said in the video she submitted to the Eternal Father Awards committee.
When their child was 13 months old, he got a job out of their town, but as fate would have it, he was reassigned to work from home shortly after, where he could care for his daughter while working.
“Demario has taken our daughter to every single clinic visit. He never complained even though it’s traditionally a role mothers often take on. He does it with a smile, but one of the things I admire the most about Demario is his genuine enthusiasm for fatherhood,” Alethia said.
“He doesn’t shy away from tasks that some might consider a turnoff. He loves cooking for our daughter, combing her hair, and even cutting her nails when I’m not around to do it,” she said.
For The Eternal Father Awards, persons were asked to submit videos online with reasons and content explaining why the men who are fathers in their lives should be nominated or awarded Father of the Year.
Loss of father as motivation
Although many wives and mothers would not have wanted to air their husband’s or child’s father’s losses to the world, Alethia now has no regrets because it resulted in Demario becoming victorious in the long run.
“From the moment we discovered [that] we were expecting, he was filled with a sense of pride and responsibility. He was very excited. Despite losing his father at a young age, and not having a father figure, he didn’t let it hinder his journey as a dad,” Alethia said.
She said he used the loss of his father as motivation to become the best father he could be to his daughter.
Demario was awarded on Father’s Day, June 16, at the annual Eternal Father Awards Ceremony held at AC Hotel Kingston.
When asked how he felt about being awarded the Father of the Year title in Jamaica, Forskin, who is 30 years old, told The Gleaner: “It is a joyful moment for me. I humbly received this award without expectation, and I am proud of the recognition it brings as a father.”
Said Forskin: “I felt elated when I saw the text pop up [about his nomination]. I was completely unaware that my wife had nominated me for the ‘Parish Champion Father’. I’ve never been a part of an awards show before, so, of course, I had small doubts about winning. So for this, I say thanks again to all those who voted and made it a success.”
The husband of three years, in the short period since he has been married and been a dad, has had to make sacrifices for the betterment of his young family.
“From the start, I have been making sacrifices long before my wife even conceived our daughter. I’ve always yearned for a better life for my offspring considering the hardships and struggles I endured as a child. These sacrifices include a rigorous savings plan, change of jobs, amongst other things,” Forskin, who now works with a prominent real estate and development company in St James, told The Gleaner.
‘Breaking the cycle’
When asked what were some of the qualities he believed he possessed, which convinced the judges to select him as Father of the Year, he said: “I’m dedicated, determined, disciplined, very organised, strategic, loving, caring, generous, and, above all, a firm believer in Christ. These qualities, and more, I believe have made me stand out and [be] selected as Father of the Year.
“Coming from a background where I lacked a father figure and grew up in a disadvantaged community, breaking the cycle of hardship has always been a personal mission.”
While recalling his challenges while unemployed, he told The Gleaner that faith has been his anchor, which provided him with strength and guidance.
“Each challenge has reinforced my commitment to being the best father I can be despite the obstacles life throws my way,” he said.
The Eternal Father Awards, founded in 2022 by television presenter Anna Smith, seeks to change the generally negative narrative around Jamaican fathers by telling the stories of the best examples of fatherhood in the country.
This year’s awards included presentations to 28 awardees and 40 nominees for their contributions to the nation by carrying out the responsibilities of fatherhood.