Feature: A Father’s Day ‘bonus’

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Two years ago, Ted Cosey entered into the lives of Tonya Shattuck and her daughters, Abby and Shaylah. Now he gets ready to celebrate Father’s Day as a “Bonus Dad,” a title coined by step-daughter Abby.

By Suzannah Van Gelder

On Father’s Day, we take time to celebrate and thank the father figures in our lives who have shaped us and helped us grow. As we celebrate dads this year, we understand that the only “right way” to be a dad is to be kind, be involved, and be loving.

Two years ago, Ted Cosey entered into the lives of Tonya Shattuck and her daughters, Abby and Shaylah. Now he gets ready to celebrate Father’s Day as a “Bonus Dad,” a title coined by step-daughter Abby.

Ted Cosey entered the lives of Abby and Shaylah two years ago when he started dating their mom, Tonya Shattuck. Since then, Cosey quickly became a second father figure in their lives, or a “Bonus Dad,” as Abby calls him.

Though many might shy away from the role of step-parent, Cosey excitedly stepped in. “I never really thought of it as a responsibility,” he said of his family, of Granville. “At this point in my life I’m looking to be a part of a family.”

“They considered me a father figure before I knew I was a father figure,” said Cosey. “I’m pretty proud of that.”

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