Michael Sean R. is many amazing, wonderful things, but most of all, and most importantly, he is my father. Though I am named after my dad, our middle names are different. He is actually Michael Sean Casey, and the name Casey came from the nickname of Red Bank Catholic’s school teams. My grandfather, Jack, was a legend at RBC. He was a teacher and well known coach and when my dad was born, his father brought the whole girls track team to the hospital to see my dad. Then, he got the second middle name of Casey, after the kids. My middle name is Paul, after my grandfather, Paul Weeks, on my mother’s side. The name Michael is from my dad’s grandfather, my great-grandfather, who was born in Ireland and was known to be quite a unique person. In a multitude of ways, my dad and I are very alike, and our name is just the beginning.

Almost everyone I meet says I look like him and when I say that, I mean half of the garden state. We have the same hair [very curly], if my dad had any, and we are nearly the same height. Let’s clarify a few things. First of all, my dad isn’t really bald, he just has little hair stubs, but it is our on-going joke between the two of us. My dad shaves his head weekly because he runs about 50-60 miles per week and he thinks he runs faster with no hair. Big Mike is actually over 6 feet tall, but I am catching up to him. Every day I’m getting closer!

Personality wise, my dad and I are slightly different. Being told by many people, mostly my mom is that I am a man of very few words, which is a very true statement. On the other hand, my dad is more talkative. We both enjoy laughing at the same jokes and the same comedians that tell them. We like the same sports teams too. Notre Dame all the way! If someone thinks my dad is funny, he can’t stop himself. The jokes keep on coming. Unfortunately, my mom doesn’t always find him to be so funny. Overall, we are sensitive, patient and good listeners.

For most of his career, my dad has worked for Jersey Shore Medical Center, in a program located in Asbury Park. The program helps people, who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, by offering them counseling and assistance to get their life back on track. His job is very demanding and stressful so that is why he runs daily for an hour and a half, after working an 8 hour day. I hope to work as a therapist, following in my dad’s shoes, as a counselor for people in need. My dad has a tough job, but that is why I respect him even more.

In my eyes, my dad is larger than life. He is a funny guy, with a sense of humor that matches him and never quits. It’s an Irish thing wanting to make people laugh. Oh yes, my dad loves being Irish; everything about being Irish. Notre Dame Football, the Celtic’s basketball team, St. Patrick’s Day, the color green, and shamrocks, he loves them all. Very often, he teases my mom about being Italian, but he loves her and all of us very much. Hope you can meet him one day because I hope to grow up to be just like my old man!