Brad Paisley - He Didn't Have To Be (Official Video)

My dad never wanted me but my stepdad never stopped loving me.

On Saturday we're saying goodbye to my daddy. Sixty years ago my parents brought me home from the adoption agency as a little six week old baby. He was a farmer and as he went about his day on our farm, I was his little shadow. His patience was endless as he'd wait for my little legs to catch up with his long strides no matter how busy he was. He never complained about my endless chatter and always stopping to take the time to answer my endless questions. My parents were always very open about me being adopted and shared with me what they knew about my birth parents. They told me that my mother was only 17 and was British and that my father had been been born in Italy. One evening when I was 9 years old my German heritage parents said we were going out for dinner to the city. My dad took us to the only Italian restaurant he knew of "Dave's Pizza" 😅 and ordered me spaghetti and meatballs, something we never ate at home. He told me "You're going to love this because you're half Italian!" When I was 21 I found my birth parents. They had married each other two years after my birth and I had a full younger sister and brother. My parents were very happy for me and welcoming to my birth family. Within a year my two father's became close friends. As my birth parents got divorced soon after my birth father would often go to my parent's farm and help my dad. While they worked my dad shared every story of my childhood he could remember with my birth father including the time when I was 16 and ran away from home for a week because some boy asked me to marry him. My dad was a cowboy who loved the mountains, so one summer he took my birth father on a two week horseback trip to the mountains. Just the two of them. My dad wasn't a man of endearing words but he showed his love by his actions. As a little girl he'd show up from town with a pretty dress he'd picked out for me all on his own from the local dress shop. Every year on February 15 he'd come home from town with a heart shaped box of chocolates for mom, myself and my little sister that he'd buy for half price. I thought that made him the smartest man in the world. The minute I turned sixteen he traded one of his cows so I had a car. He wasn't the richest man and we didn't go on fancy European vacations but he always managed to take us on a holiday somewhere each summer. Born in 1926 into a poor family he had to quit school when he finished grade three and went to work for the neighbour picking roots for fifty cents a day. He was one of the hardest working and most honest men I've ever known and while he never even learned to read he managed to provide a wonderful life for our family through his hard work and sacrifices. Rest easy in Heaven dad. You deserve it! Until we meet again ❤

My mom was divorced with four kids and she met a man who forever changed our lives. Thank you Brad for remembering all those dads.

What a beautiful tribute to all the dads that didn't have to be

Anyone can be a father but it takes a real man to be dad

It's 6 in the morning. Was not prepared for this. My mom was a single mom with 3 kids. She met my dad when I was 3. Married when I was 5. He raised me. He's my father.

This song reminds me so much of my step dad. He met my mom when I was five years old. Papa I call him was a great man. My mom had nine children. I don't know to many men that would step up like he did and raise nine kids that wasn't his. He was hand picked by God for such a task. He passed away 2 months ago and I miss him so much. I know he went on to get his reward for all he did for us. Rip Papa.....🥲

My stepdaughter came in to my life when she was 8. Her dad was still in her life and he contributed, from a distance. In the meantime we went thru all the things kids and parents go thru from that age. Fast forward and she’s getting married. I stayed back in the wings as she still had a father and I wasn’t there to steal his thunder. I have to say tho I was so honoured when she played this song for our dance that I wasn’t even expecting. That was years ago and this song, that dance and all the times we spent together still can bring a tear to my eye! I could have never asked for a better step daughter. I love you Amanda

My mom had me when she was 17. She met the man I call my dad when I was just over a year old. He didn't hesitate. He married my mom when I was 18 months old. He took us in and raised me as his own. I ended up with a brother and a sister because of him. He taught me life lessons. Fixed my heart and my car. I lost my mom in June of 2019 to cancer, and then my dad to a heart attack in October the same year. I will be 49 years old on February 3, and I have NEVER once doubted who my DAD was. I am married to my best friend, who had 2 kids when I met her. I have 2 daughters from previous relationships. We both say we have 4 kids. Step is not a word in our house.

I met my wife when her (my) son was five. He sent me this link today. I have never introduced him as my step son, ever. He's my boy. My precious young man is 28 now with his own family. Damned country music and it's onion delivery services got me in the chest again. I love my boy! I'm proud to be his Dad.

As a Dad of 2 adopted kids, this song hits me right in the chest every time, gets my eyes all teary.

What a tribute to a stepdad. It takes a special person to raise a kid that isn’t theirs like they were. Thank God for good stepparents.

Nobody can tell life stories like country music singers.

I married a wounderful woman 8 yrs ago whom had a son from a previous relationship. I asked her 8 yr old son could I date his mom. He said yes. I told him he needed to come along with us to keep his mom safe. He went everywhere with us. 6 months later I asked Henry could I marry his mom. He said yes. 3 months later we married. Not to long AFTER BEING MARRIED, Henry called me dad. I told Henry I'm not your dad, you can call me Charles, mr.glisson or you can call me dad, his response, NO, I RATHER CALL YOU DAD BECAUSE, YOU TREAT ME MORE LIKE A DAD THEN MY OWN DAD....... TEARS FROM ME..LOVE YOU HENRY...LOVE DAD

We played this song at my dads funeral. Thanks for all the good times dad .you took in a trouble boy and turned him in to man. Miss you every day

This is my daughter's song. I adopted her after her mom and I got married in the early 80s. My wife was a hard working single mom trying to do the best she could. I had never been around a 7 year old and it was all new to me. I was in the Air Force and having a child wasn't anything that entered my brain. I knew when I became part of the family I had one purpose, to make their lives the best they could be. Countless band events, dance recitals, and kid-friendly vacations kept us busy. The Air Force sent me on a remote tour for a year and I know what absence feels like. Today, as an 74 year old retired Chief Master Sergeant, I still have that purpose. My daughter graduated from college, got her Masters and now has a family of her own. She is a Colonel in the Air Force with massive responsibilities and is an outstanding leader. I like to think I helped mold some of that. Our grandkids stay overnight from time to time and love it here. The song hits close to home and I listen to it when I can. Thanks Brad for the song and video.

I personally could never relate to this song, but I always founded it nice to hear it a long time ago. Few years back I married my girl and she has a son from a previous marriage. I always try my best to gain his respect as his father. For years I sometimes felt I failed. Until recently he sent me a link to this song, dedicating it to me. Couldn't hold the tears. I sat on my bed feeling so proud and accomplished...I love my boy, and my boy loves his father.

This song has made me realize how much I should love my fiancé son 😢 who's cutting onions 2024??

My stepdad came into my life when I was young and he taught me so much.He not only took me and treated me like his daughter but my two other siblings.Our first year he bought us everything in the store for Christmas and then bought us a real home.I could never understand how a man could love us all and give up everything.He was a single man and took on three kids.As a kid I never realized how much he really did for us.Here I sit and cry because that man let my real father come over anytime he wanted and never once was upset about it.He even gave my real dad a car to come see us!!! 😢

Loved my stepdad so much that when my mom divorce him I went to live with him......God bless real men