Gary Prior has been honoured with the title of Queensland’s Father Of The Year, an award that recognises dads for their contribution to their family as well as the wider community.
And Gary’s a busy man. Between raising 11 kids with his wife and teaching Indigenous culture in schools, he also runs a juvenile detention mentoring program and helps to protect sea turtles from introduced species.
“I wasn’t expecting any award or any thank-you for doing what I did. I just did what I did,” Gary told the ABC.
Gary was nominated by his wife Janeen, who felt her hubby of 26 years deserved to be recognised for his hard work and his ability to make children feel safe.
“The kids’ friends would come and sleep over and they didn’t want to leave when we’d have to tell them, ‘you’ve got to go home now,'” she said.
All of Gary’s kids had different wonderful things to say about their dad, most adorable of which was six-year-old Trixie’s comment.
“I love my dad because he swims with his goggles, he’s smart, he can paint neat and he’s brave,” she said.
Four of the couple’s kids are fostered from Gary’s sister. “I like how he can care for other kids like they’re his,” said Josie, 17.
Gary says he inherited the good qualities needed to be a good father from strong men in his life.
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