From gaming to firefighting, here’s how 5 central Pa. dads click with their kids

All it takes is two presses of a big ‘X’, and I get to hang out with my dad.

Life is busy — for a news reporter who can’t seem to stop working, and for a music teacher with weekend and evening obligations to ensemble groups. Oftentimes, the most my father and I can do is collapse into a chair on the weekend, a two-hour drive away from one another.

But recently, we picked up a new hobby. Dad took an interest in the Fallout video game franchise after watching the new Amazon Prime series (and taking a particular liking to Walton Goggins’ irradiated cowboy zombie character). So, we each picked up the newest installment in the video game series, Fallout 76 — which has a multiplayer component.

The premise is simple: Nuclear bombs destroyed civilization, so it’s down to players to rebuild it in West Virginia.

On any given evening after work, the two of us, joined by “Uncle” Chuck, can romp around a fictional, downscaled rendition of West Virginia and fight Fallout’s ensemble cast of post-apocalyptic bad guys as well as a few guests from West Virginia folklore.

It’s nostalgic, says dad. He’s a West Virginia native, and says the game developers must have done their research into his home state.

“Holy crap, that’s my babysitter’s house!” Dad will say during a jaunt through the town of Sutton. Or, while we run and gun through an event at Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, he’ll say, “Wait, dad took (Uncle) Marc and I here,” and tell me about the cult’s folklore from back in the 70s.

Not everyone still has their dad in their life. I’m among the fortunate ones who do, and I’m glad we found a hobby to share, especially so accommodating for our busy work schedules. (Although, one of us gets a summer break. Lucky you, old man.)

I’m pleased to introduce readers to several more central Pa. fathers and how they stay connected to their grown children to celebrate this Father’s Day.

Dad makes a great doubles partner: ‘Let’s just go outside and play’

Paul Johnston took up tennis after high school as a way to spend time with his older brother.

After Johnston had his first child in 2005, he started teaching tennis to his son, Will.

He modified the rules at first, hitting to Will within the confines of a single service box when the boy was four or five years old. Then gradually they started using the whole court.

“It was something fun to do without really thinking about it,” Will said. “Let’s just go outside and play.”

Over time, their games grew more competitive. Will eventually gave up baseball and other sports in 7th grade to focus on tennis. That’s when Paul signed up his son for clinics through Mechanicsburg’s Park and Recreation program, where the late Pat Smith “had to fix” all of the unconventional swings and serves Paul had taught him.

By 9th grade, Will had improved enough to beat his father on the court and snag the number one position on his high school varsity team. He maintained the top position on the team all four years of high school before graduating in 2023.

“He got better and never looked back,” Paul said.

“I double-bageled you for the first time a few weeks ago,” Will noted, referring to when a player wins 6-0, 6-0 in two tennis sets.

Paul improved his serve over time, and as a lefty, it became a good weapon. But he acknowledges his son is the superior player.

Sports have always been a way for Paul and Will to stay connected. Paul coached Will’s T-ball team and supported his baseball teams. But tennis is an interest and healthy activity they can share now that Will is in college, and for a lifetime.

“Until I croak,” Paul said, flashing his dry wit.

They’ve stayed up all night watching professional Grand Slam tournaments on television from countries in different time zones, dissecting the best matches. They are competing this summer as a doubles team as part of a recreational “ladder” league.

In fact, they will be playing a match Saturday, the day before Father’s Day. Will is planning on delivering a win for his dad to improve their record to 5-1 this summer.

“No mercy,” he said.

Father and son connect over 50-mile bike ride

Halfway through a 50-mile bicycle ride around Philadelphia, Kevin Gemmell knew that he had to let his son Nick go.

The two were biking together in the 2021 Eagle’s Autism Challenge Ride, where participants raise money for the Eagles Autism Foundation by biking around Philadelphia. Nick, a special education teacher, had convinced his dad to go along.

About halfway through the ride, Kevin, 50, needed a break, but Nick had found another special education teacher he was talking and riding with, and wanted to continue. Kevin told his son to keep riding, took a break, and essentially rode by himself for the second half.

As he reached the end, he caught up to a pack of other riders. A police officer in a squad car motioned to the pack, put the lights on, and got the group through traffic and the busy streets.

The stroke of luck let Kevin catch up to Nick and ride the final leg of the competition with him.

“It was really emotional because I let him go when he wanted to,” Kevin said. “I didn’t want to hold him back but when I ended up catching him it was amazing.”

It’s almost a metaphor for life, Kevin says, especially now. In the three years since the race, Nick got married and had a son, now three months old.

“Having your own children is one of the most incredible miracles you can experience, and then you see them having kids,” Kevin said. “Seeing your grandchild’s eyes that are just like your son’s is just incredible.”

Nick sees it in much the same way.

“It’s really cool to be a dad, and to see your parents interact with your kid and love on him as much as we do already, it’s a feeling you can’t describe,” Nick said. “Being a dad just turns your whole world upside down in the best way possible, and you give your parents a ton of respect for what they did.”

Both father and son agree they will probably never bicycle 50 miles again, separately or as a pair.

At the time of the race, Kevin had just moved from West Pennsboro to Ocean City, New Jersey, and his three children remained in Pennsylvania. Kevin agreed because it wasn’t a race and it was a good reason to get together.

Now they stay connected in a different way, occasionally golfing but more often using the internet.

“Our whole family has a text group we call ‘The Squad,’ so we all text and send pictures in the group,” Kevin said.

This Father’s Day is special for Nick and Kevin. It’s Nick’s first as a dad, and Kevin’s first since his own father passed away.

“It’s emotional, but it’s all good emotion,” Kevin said. “I’m sad my dad’s not around anymore, but he lived a good life and taught us how to be fathers and men of character, and I try to pass that on to my sons and my grandson now.”

Central Pa. fire chief shares knowledge with junior firefighting son

As chief of the Fire Rescue Company in Susquehanna Township, Marvin L. Reist Jr. was ecstatic when his 15-year-old son declared he wanted to be a junior firefighter.

Marvin Reist Jr., who has been a firefighter for 27 years and chief for about four years, was hands-off when it came to Robert’s decision to join the ranks.

“I wanted to make sure he didn’t feel any pressure one way or another,” he said.

Firefighting is a three-generation affair for the family. Marvin Reist Jr.’s father, Marvin Reist Sr., is also a firefighter with Fire Rescue Company and over the years held several positions including lieutenant and captain.

Going back one more generation, Reist Sr.’s parents were active members of the fire company’s auxiliary. In addition, his eldest son, Bradley Reist, is also a firefighter.

“I’m very thankful and proud to have sons and grandsons involved in giving back to their community,” he said.

The family’s Father’s Day this year will be a quiet one. Marvin Reist Jr. is also a career firefighter in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and will be working a 48-hour weekend shift.

As the younger Reist trains to become a full-fledged firefighter, he frequently joins his father on calls. Due to child labor laws, though, young firefighters are not permitted to assist with certain emergencies considered more risky.

Robert said he learned practically everything about firefighting from his father, but one lesson stands out and that’s how to act on the scene of emergencies: “Be respectful and know your place and don’t try and speak out of turn. Listen when you are told to do something,” he said.

Reist Jr. said his son likely wanted to become a firefighter after watching him through the years and participating at the fire company in activities and meals.

He said Robert frequently asks questions including how certain pieces of fire equipment work. The best piece of advice Reist Jr. offers his son is “the same thing I tell everyone. Work hard and never stop learning.”

Palmyra dad and son volunteer together at Harrisburg Humane Society

A Palmyra father and his son who recently moved out of the family home into his own place share a love for supporting homeless animals.

Chris Kleinfelter and his 22-year-old son, Isaac, have volunteered at the Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area for nearly a decade. Together, the two erected shelving and maintained an area for certified dog walkers.

Isaac, who now lives near Hershey, is the oldest of three siblings, all of whom help at the Humane Society — where Kristi, Chris’ wife, works as a lifesaving coordinator.

The family does more than work at the shelter. They also foster dogs at their homes, Kleinfelter said.

Those sometimes turn into “foster fails” (when a dog goes to a foster family, and never leaves because the family falls in love with the pet). That was the case for a sickly pitbull the Kleinfelters took in a few months ago. Isaac took a liking to the dog, who suffered from a respiratory infection and wasn’t getting better. The Kleinfelters nursed the dog back to health.

“He spent five days with it and Isaac fell in love with her,” Kleinfelter said. “She’s a sweetie pie. You get connected with these dogs.”

Isaac decided to adopt her, naming her “Birdie” after the golf term, right before moving out of his parents’ home.

A family man, Isaac still visits his parents almost daily, according to Chris, who asks Isaac, “Where’s the dog? You’re not allowed to come over without the dog.”

Kleinfelter said his favorite thing about his and Isaac’s volunteer work is seeing how animals transform after they show them a little love.