Season of Sharing strengthens father's meaning of sacrifice

Raymond Kester sacrifices sleep.

He wakes up at 5 a.m. to arrive at his construction job in Port Charlotte before 6 each morning, fueled by only a few hours of rest each night.

The 40-year-old U.S. Army veteran welcomed his new daughter into the world in March at a time when the world began to close the doors and the opportunities behind them. For his children, Kester said he would sacrifice more than sleep. If he had to go without food or clothes in order for them to have what they need, there would be no question.

That has always been Kester’s mindset when it comes to family. But since he and his family have suffered as a result of the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Kester said that the pandemic has strengthened his drive to sacrifice for his family.

Read the full story in the Herald-Tribune