Outstanding dads celebrated in Sonoma County

We asked readers to share why their dad should be considered the Best Dad in Sonoma County for a chance to win a 4-pack of Giants tickets. The entries we received ranged from funny to heartfelt to tearful. One dad has made it his mission to hike many of the California trails with his handicapped daughter on his back so that she can “walk.” Two dads took four brothers out of the foster care system when they adopted them and gave them a home. One dad rescued his daughter and her son from a hard life on the streets. A few dads took on the role of bonus dad when they signed on to become a stepfather, or are raising their kids as a single father. And all of the dads are incredible men who are raising their kids with love and guidance, and who are loved in return.

By random pick, the winner of the Giants tickets was Dominique Espinosa and her dad, Bruce. Dominique had this to say about her dad: “My father grew up in foster care and group homes until the age of 15 when he was taken in by his group home counselor. With discipline, hard work and trust, my father grew up to know what a father should be, and he has far surpassed any man I have ever met. When I was eight, my father gained full custody. He saved me from a life no child should ever be exposed to, and gave me the life every daughter should have. In that time, he also remarried and raised two other children as his own whose father was never around, working multiple jobs to care for us.”

While we could only pick one winner, all of these dads could be considered the best dad in Sonoma County. Click through the gallery above to read about a few of our county's exceptional dads.