A Day in The Life S1:E1

Hi there. My name is Michael Smith. I'm a Dad to two beautiful little children. I am a fictitious character, who will allow you inside my journey. Here at First Heroes, I have the freedom to talk to you candidly and confidentially, without fear of judgment or recourse. You will read several posts from me here on this website. My goal is to encourage Dads like me. I hope to provide real-life insight to the issues that many Dads are facing today, especially when it comes to the legal system and custody. Please allow me a moment to tell you a little bit about myself.

As I said, my name is Michael Smith and I'm from the state of Louisiana. I'm 39 years old, have a pretty good job and a pretty good life overall. I would say, I live a pretty average, American life. I don't have the big home or the expensive cars yet, but I'm hoping for my day to come just like you probably are too.

I was married to a beautiful lady named India. India Franklin and I got married at a moderate age. However, looking back, I'm not so sure we were really ready. I'm not so sure India really knew what she was signing up for. And I'm not so sure I knew her as well as I had thought.

Anyway, as time goes on, you'll get to know more about me. You'll get to meet some of my other friends who are experiencing some of the same challenges I am, when it comes to my kids and being a dad. But I just wanted to briefly introduce myself to you here and let you know that I'm not much different from you.

You see, not that long ago, India and I got a divorce. I had no idea just how difficult this entire process would be on our kids. We share one of each - a boy and a girl. All I ever wanted to do was just be a Daddy to my kids, but I quickly learned that this task is easier said than done. I understand it doesn't have to be that way, but for many Dads like myself, it sadly is. In and out of court I went. Always on the defense. Drowning in attorney fees. Desperate for a gasp of air. Feeling like no one cared. Feeling like everyone was against me. What was I to do?

I want to share with you some of the things I did along my journey that helped me to WIN and come out on top in the end! Like you, I didn't have a legal strategy at first. I didn't know what to expect from week to week. Feeling lost, alone and discouraged, I was determined to stay in my kids' lives. Let's walk through this journey together and be the heroes that our children need us to be.