Jerry Revish's second fatherhood mentoring young people on Columbus' South Side

Jerry Revish has worn many hats over the 48 years he has lived in central Ohio: journalist, pastor, community leader and father.

With two adult children — Jerome, a senior vice president at Cardinal Health, and Nicole Revish Curtain, owner of a Clintonville hair salon — the retired WBNS-TV (Channel 10) news anchor has taken on a new role: surrogate father to the South Side community where his church, Unity Temple Church of God in Christ, is located.

"Here at the church, I've got a lot of young men and young girls, and I try to be sort of a father image to some of them," said Revish, 73, of Dublin. "Some of them don't know their fathers, which in some ways you think, 'How could that be?'"

Revish has seen triumph and tragedy, having covered events such as the 1979 desegregation of Columbus City Schools; Operation Desert Storm in 1991; the Lucasville prison riot in 1993; and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But, he says, his toughest assignment was learning how to be "Dad."

"I had to learn how to be a father," he said. "It was pretty frustrating in some ways because I didn't have the wherewithal all the time to do the things I wanted to do for my kids or with my kids.

"But I stuck with it. I let them know, 'I love you, and this home is going to be your home, and we're going to make things happen here.'"

Jerry Revish: Congregants respect his devotion to church, family, community

Revish regularly makes things happen at his church, where along with a Sunday sermon, he provides counseling; connections to resources, such as food, clothing and school supplies; and, his parishioners say, hope.

Rose Bush, 66, of the West Side, who attends Unity Temple Church of God in Christ, said Revish regularly provides a hand up to others.

"We had gentlemen from the Salvation Army that came every Sunday because it was a part of their rehab. He interacted with them personally, and he didn't treat them any different than anybody else," Bush said. "If they had a need — housing, clothes, food — he always made sure to see that they got what they needed."

Bush said Revish serves as a mentor to many who need him the most.

People like Andre Harper.

"He really makes it a point to get to know the men in the church in particular, and we've had a great relationship," said Harper, 45, of Lewis Center. "I know that he cares for me."

Harper grew up without a father in his life, a void he said Revish has filled.

"He became that figure organically, and when I first got to the church, I felt a deep sense of connection with him," Harper said. "I asked him to go out to breakfast, and we just really hit it off."

Harper says he didn't see a news anchor in Revish — who joined WBNS-AM/FM in 1974 before moving to WBNS-TV in 1980 — only a father figure. He said he strives daily to live by the example Revish set, not only as a pastor but also as a family man.

"His emphasis on males and men being committed to not only our Christian walk but (also) to making sure that we protect and be good fathers and husbands in our home," Harper said. "He provides a great example of that, and I aspire to be like him, to be the family man that he is. He helps me and talks to me and always makes time for me. He's never too busy to help, to talk or to listen."

A childhood surrounded by strong men

Hailing from Youngstown, Revish describes himself as a "union brat," with his father having worked at Youngstown Sheet & Tube.

He says being surrounded by strong men throughout his childhood influenced his views on fatherhood.

"I saw nothing but strong men in my neighborhood coming up. They were all steelworkers — pretty much blue-collar guys," Revish said. "But I watched them in the mornings climb into their cars or wait at the bus stop with their black lunchboxes going to work, and I thought, 'They were taking care of their families, taking care of their wives, if they have them, and their kids."

His father, Dewey, had a quiet humility that still sticks with him.

As an adult, Revish, who established his church in 2011 with his wife, Danielle, said he's seen many Black fathers come through feeling tormented in that they are sometimes unable to care for their children properly.

"You're asking somebody who has never had a positive role model or very few to do these heroic feats of success without giving them the wherewithal — the tools, the building blocks to get there," he said. "It's important they understand what it takes."

Revish counsels men, young and old, on a variety of topics. Some are practical, such as how to dress for an interview, groom themselves, speak properly and strive to be their best. He started an initiative at the church, "Top Dog," to teach youngsters from 10 to 18.

Dressing to impress: Otto Beatty Jr. Men's Shop expansion gets $330,000 boost from Franklin County's COVID funds

There are more serious topics, too, like how to be a father and what he called "the talk" on how Black families should interact with police.

"Nowadays for our Black boys and girls, you've got to have that talk with them about how to handle yourself around law enforcement," he said. "Unfortunately, that's still something that has to be … that there is a certain way to engage with a person that is a police officer."

Balancing work, family always a challenging task

Early in his career, Revish had to balance his duties between dad and anchorman, which he says was not an easy task. But he said he worked hard to make time to be with his children.

"When I wasn't working, I was with them," he said. "I was giving them my time."

Saturdays often meant books and bagels, with trips to the Columbus Metropolitan Library and a stop for bagels afterward.

"A lot of times, it's not about money," he said. "It's just about experiences, just taking them to a gathering, Red, White & Boom! or Labor Day parade or a lot of church activities where you meet other people and you're exposed to them."

His children recall a father who emphasized education and wouldn't accept "good" as an answer for the age-old question, "How was school today?"

"We had to literally write a journal to him, like write it out, tell me what that means," his daughter recalled. "Explain to me what your day was and what happened — he would even take the time to spellcheck it back and say 'Well, I think you should write it like this' or 'Is this what you meant when you said that?'"

His son said having a local celebrity as a father was hard sometimes, but it got easier over time.

"As a small child, it was cool to see your father on television. There's a little bit of local celebrity that plays in. Then it goes into increased scrutiny because of that celebrity and making sure and understanding that when you leave the house, when you're in school, or when you work, you're representing something bigger than yourself," he said. "My father was, and is, a tremendous father, role model, protector, counselor, friend — all of the above."

One of the biggest pieces of advice Revish said he often imparts whenever he counsels men on how to be fathers is simple: Understand they are not some sort of super hero.

"Be a loving man, don't be afraid to express love and don't be afraid to show some vulnerability," he said. "You're not Superman, and if they don't know that, your kids are going to find out one day."

thanks@dispatch.com

@hanks_t99

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How Jerry Revish became a second father to many in his church