As a young boy, Tom Barthel longed for a father figure. He said his own dad was a successful businessman who wasn’t home much.
“I seemed to have needed a lot of male direction and it wasn’t there, not in the capacity I needed, and I grew up with an emptiness,” Barthel said.
He lost his way, becoming addicted to drugs and involved in crime. But years later, he got sober and he started to discover his purpose.
“I can’t walk past a young man that might look lost and confused and might need the hand of an older man, can’t do it,” Barthel said.
He’s been mentoring boys who don’t have a steady male presence in their lives.
“Some of the boys I spend time with, they have a dad in prison, some of the fathers are gone and some only see them once a year,” Barthel said.
He volunteers his free time to spend with them, taking them on road trips and camping adventures geared toward young men.
“I don’t go because I donate my time, I go because I’m having the time of my life and I can’t do it without them.”
He’s been raising money for gas and hotels for these camping experiences. Supporters help pay for gas money and camp registration fees.
“I can’t do it on my own. I don’t have the funds to go on super expensive trips. To get to these summer camps we need donated vehicles also,” Barthel said.
“But the trips we made memories on, it was worth every dime.”
For over a decade he’s been a positive influence in the lives of brothers Braden and Jackson Meyers. He’s known the boys since they were little.
Jackson is now 15 years old and looks up to Barthel.
“He’s like a big brother. We feel we can talk to him about anything and he’s helped me with confidence,” Jackson said. “I admire him for getting out of the drugs and crime and now teaching young men like us not to go down the path and learn from his mistakes.”
Older brother Braden, 17, said he admires what Barthel does for them and other boys without dads.
“It was hard not having our dad there and it was hard for mom — she is raising us by herself,” Braden said. “Tom taught us how to respect ourselves and others and treat women right, how they should be treated.”
Their mom, Lacey Meyers, sees their connection.
“It’s a tremendous responsibility raising two sons by yourself and I have enjoyed it, but there are certain things they need to learn from another man,” Lacey said. “It’s meant everything to me. I can rest easy and Tom will be a part of our life forever.
“He is in our corner, always.”
She said Barthel feels like family.
“I remember Jackson, when he was little, asked me, ‘Mom, who is the coolest person you know?’ I said, ‘ My sister,’ Right away he said, ‘Tom is the coolest person I know.’ It was so adorable. They get to have an uncle relationship with him,” Lacey said.
Barthel is already planning their next adventure.
“I’ve started a gofundme because I would like to take some of them and stop at the amusement parks along the way to the ‘Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend.’ It’s a camp in California. That’s my goal for 2023,” Barthel said.
He has rebuilt his relationship with his own dad, who is proud of what his son has accomplished.
“Me and my dad have been best friends for the last 15 years and are inseparable,” Barthel said.
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