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Father’s Day is often celebrated with gifts, cards and family gatherings, but for Garfield Reece, Assurance Leader at PwC Jamaica and Regional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader, the greatest gift a father can give cannot be wrapped.

It is simply being present.

Speaking to fathers during St. Michael’s Primary School’s Fathers’ Fridays celebration, Reece shared a deeply personal message about intentional fatherhood, encouraging men to move beyond traditional ideas of providing financially and instead focus on the daily presence that shapes a child’s confidence, values and future.

“Presence, for me, is constant,” Reece told the audience. “It isn’t Father’s Day or Christmas Day. Presence means showing up every day, talking to your child, listening to them and being there throughout life’s ordinary moments.”

Hosted under the theme Present. Proud. Powerful, the event brought together fathers, father figures, students and teachers for a morning of worship, celebration and reflection on the lasting impact fathers have on children’s lives. As a longstanding collaborator of St. Michael’s Primary School, PwC Jamaica participated in the programme as part of its broader commitment to supporting students both inside and outside the classroom.

Drawing on his own experiences as both a father and a son, Reece challenged fathers to think critically about the examples they set for their children and the opportunity every parent has to shape a different future. “Some of us never benefited from fathers. Some experienced abuse. Others had wonderful fathers,” he said. “But regardless of our own experience, we have to ask ourselves: What are we going to do differently? How do we become the example our children need?”

Rather than striving for perfection, Reece encouraged fathers to embrace intentional growth, explaining that fatherhood is a journey strengthened through reflection, learning and community.

“You break the cycle by refusing to repeat the things that hurt you,” he said. “Whatever you experienced that you wish had been different, make that difference for your children.”

He also encouraged fathers to lean on one another, noting that some of the most valuable parenting lessons come through honest conversations with other men navigating similar experiences.

“As fathers, we learn from each other,” Reece said. “The conversations change over time. We share perspectives, challenge one another and help each other become better fathers.”

The message resonated strongly with the school’s commitment to nurturing children through strong partnerships between educators, parents and the wider community.

Principal Juliet McPherson welcomed the continued involvement of PwC Jamaica, noting that positive male role models play an important role in helping students thrive.

“At St. Michael’s Primary School, we believe raising confident, compassionate and capable children requires all of us working together,” said McPherson. “Having fathers and father figures who choose to be present sends a powerful message to our students, and we are grateful to PwC Jamaica for continuing to invest not only in our school, but in the families and communities we serve.”

PwC Jamaica has partnered with St. Michael’s Primary through literacy initiatives, mentorship, school improvement projects and student support programmes as part of its wider investment in education and youth development.

For Reece, however, the morning’s most important takeaway had nothing to do with titles or careers. “Every father has the opportunity to create something better than what came before,” he said. “Our children don’t need us to be perfect. They need us to be present.”