Families in Syracuse marked Father’s Day with a unique celebration at Harvey’s Garden, where babies competed in a charming and chaotic race.
Matthew DePrimo, whose daughter Phoebe participated in the event, shared his joy in fatherhood.
“The most rewarding thing every single day when I come home from work and I hear her little squeaks as I’m coming up the stairs because she knows I’m on my way,” he said.
Nine-month-old Burks also joined the race, though his parents, Aryn Grover and her partner, acknowledged his slim chances. “We are expecting absolutely nothing. He’s gonna get last place. We’re gonna put him on the ground. He’s gonna look around really overwhelmed. The people are gonna cheer. It’s gonna make him cry. But I mean, hey, we had to give it a shot,” Grover said.
The daughter of Harvey’s Garden owner, Michael Greene, took an early lead, thanks to her dedicated preparation. “
Working on her diet for the last couple of weeks, making sure training, everything’s ready to go,” Greene said. Despite taking breaks, she ultimately crossed the finish line first. “She’s a good crawler. So, you know, we knew she had a chance, but happy to see that she pulled it out,” Greene added.
All participants received medals, and DePrimo reflected on the day’s success. “When I make eye contact with her and her mother, just waiting for m,e nothing else brings joy to my heart the way that that does,” he said. He extended his well-wishes to other fathers, saying, “Happy Father’s Day to every other father that’s out there, and I hope they realize how blessed they are to be known as dad.”