A Father's Day Tribute to:
Dads
Mike Ceballos
Written By
Kimberly Ewertz
Whether the title is dad, father, or even
pops, one thing is certain; the love, caring,
and wisdom fathers bestow on their children
are precious gifts from the heart. There is
no better time of year than Father’s Day to
express appreciation for those gifts and let
them know just how much they are loved.
Happy Father’s Day!!
86
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
Gilroy resident Mike Ceballos did as his father before him
did. He chose the military as a career, which included ten
years in the Special Forces unit.
In 2006, Ceballos chose to leave the military, and
entered the San Jose Police Academy. The realization that he
was missing out on his d aughters’ lives led him to make that
choice. Sierra, 17, a senior at Christopher High, was six
years old at the time. His youngest, Summer, 15, a Freshman
at Christopher, was three.
“Having girls, having kids, did a number as far as how I
think,” Ceballos said. “I ended up getting out. It’s not some-
thing that I wanted to do but it’s something I did for the right
reasons, because I wanted to be there. I wouldn’t have it
any other way.”
The moment he found out he was going to be a father
his priorities began to change. “It was a big pill to swallow,
because at that time my mindset was all about the military,”
he said. “And then I found out I was having a girl. Can I
really do a girl? I was nervous,” Ceballos said, adding that
as soon as his daughters were born, each had him wrapped
around their little finger.
In 2014 Ceballos became a single dad when he and his
wife separated. This too was not an easy pill for Ceballos
to swallow. “As a parent, I’ve felt massive guilt about every-
thing that happened,” he said, adding that his daughters
have gotten used to the ‘new normal.’
“The dust has settled and we’ve had a few good heart-to-
hearts, a few good crying sessions.”
As he did when he joined the military, Ceballos is follow-
ing his father’s lead when it comes to raising his girls.
“He was always a good parent, always working his tail
off trying to provide for the family,” Ceballos said, adding,
“I want my girls to look at me the way I look at my dad. I
hope I’m that pillar, I’m trying to be that pillar.”
JUNE/JULY 2018
gmhtoday.com