From rescues to life lessons, why dads are praised as lifelong mentors

From donating a kidney to their child to paying off their kid’s credit card debt, a new survey revealed some of the most heroic dad acts in honor of Father’s Day.

In the survey of 2,000 Americans, one respondent shared, “The most heroic thing my father has ever done for me was during Hurricane Harvey — he trudged through the waters to come get me.”

Another reminisced, “He stopped working and took care of me when I had a car accident.”

The poll uncovered that dads truly are the most helpful heroes, with people sharing stories of selflessness and kindness. One person said, “My dad came and stayed with me when I got a divorce and stayed until he passed away.”

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by SweatBlock to spotlight how much dads have helped their children over the years, especially when it comes to building up their confidence, the study found that for those who grew up with a dad, most (70%) said their dad is one of their greatest mentors in life.

Seventeen percent said their dad is the person they go to the most when they need advice and one in four (25%) shared that their father is the person they call first in a stressful situation when they need help or support.

In fact, more than a fourth (29%) revealed they’ve called their dads for help in the last week. Some of the most heartwarming things dads have come to the rescue for have been helping their kid heal from a breakup (19%), making a rent payment their child couldn’t afford (22%) and helping their child figure out their life goals (30%). 

According to the findings, dads have taught their children how to stand up for themselves (38%) and how to be their best selves (32%). 

They’ve helped their kids cultivate practical skills like driving (49%), fixing things around the house (43%) and changing a tire (31%) as well as interpersonal tools like problem solving (47%), communication (39%) and making a good impression (37%). 

According to respondents, when it comes to self-care, the dads have been helpful there as well, teaching their kids the importance of maintaining their physical (40%) and mental health (30%) as well as the value of splurging on yourself now and again (28%) and having a polished look and appearance (25%). 

Of the men who grew up with a dad, many learned how to tie a tie from their father (32%) and used their shaving cream (29%) and deodorant (26%) when they were young. 

More than a quarter (26%) even said their dad bought them their first deodorant.

“We commissioned this study in honor of Father’s Day to showcase just how much we owe our dads — from teaching us all things practical, like how to drive, to essentials like how to make a good first impression and the importance of a polished, confident look,” said Chase Purles, chief executive officer at SweatBlock. “Grooming is especially important for making a good first impression on someone and feeling confident in everything you do.” 

Looking at confidence more closely, most respondents (59%) rated themselves as “very” or “extremely confident.”

More than six in 10 (61%) feel they handle stressful situations “well” or “expertly”, but even so, 58% said they typically start sweating in stressful situations.

A good number (39%) confessed they get embarrassed if they’re visibly sweaty around others, and shared recent embarrassing sweaty moments like “When I met my daughter’s new boyfriend on FaceTime. Yes, I was embarrassed. I made fun of myself and told him I was sorry he had to meet me looking subhuman.”

Or, “I once had to give a big presentation at work with little preparation time. I was visibly sweating and felt embarrassed, but I took a deep breath, focused on the key points, and pushed through. Afterwards, I felt proud [of myself] for handling the pressure.”

Examining people’s essentials to feel confident all throughout the day, respondents said a good hair day (47%), strong deodorant (40%) and a stylish outfit (36%) are the most important must-haves.

“Being confident in yourself and your appearance will allow you to direct your focus to the most important things in your life,” said Purles. “A strong, effective deodorant is key here. No one likes to be damp sweaty, especially when stressed and problem solving. As respondents said, it’s one of the most crucial things for feeling poised all day long.”

HEROIC DAD ACTS

• “My dad donated his kidney to me.” 
• “He just paid off my credit card debt.” 
• “The most heroic thing my father has ever done for me was during Hurricane Harvey — he trudged through the waters to come get me.”
• “He stopped working and took care of me when I had a car accident.” 
• “My dad came and stayed with me when I got a divorce and stayed until he passed away.” 
• “When I wanted to go into business and asked him to [be a] co-signer and put up his house as collateral and he did.”
• “On my wedding day, he had to change [a] flat tire before we left for my wedding…it was truly stressful but we made it and his tuxedo did not get damaged.”
• “My dad passed away when I was 14 but right before he passed he bought me tickets to go see my favorite singer in concert, George Michael, and he gave me money to buy stuff at the concert [and] it was a dream come true.”
• “He worked several jobs in order to be able to afford to put me in college so I won’t have to get so many student loans.”
• “When I lost my job a few years ago, it was one of the most stressful moments. My dad immediately offered to assist us out financially until I could get back on my feet, which greatly relieved my burden.”
• “When my first husband died and left me a widow when I was 32. My dad was there to do whatever I needed.”

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans; the survey was commissioned by SweatBlock and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between May 15 and May 19, 2025.