John Smithbaker on Forgiveness, Fatherless Boys, and What That Has to Do With the Fate of the Nation

For boys, being abandoned by a father leaves a deep wound. Smithbaker is trying to fix that through mentoring programs.

John Smithbaker with field buddy Justin after speaking to a group of men at a church in Mississippi.

Being abandoned by a father leaves a soul-deep impression.

For John Smithbaker, he sought to mask the wound with perfectionism and achievement, grappling with a mental balance sheet that would prove he was worthy of recognition and affection. His sister went the other way, fleeing from and numbing the pain by running away from home, shirking responsibility, and turning to drugs and alcohol.