In this episode, Daddy Troy interviews Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN about the documentary "Dads for my Daughters". The program tells the story of Bruce Feiler, a father to twin daughters who, after learning he had cancer, enlisted the help of six friends to help guide his children through life's ups and downs. This council of dads would be Feiler's voice, and teach his kids life lessons in the event he was unable to teach them himself. This incredible story of family, friendship, and fatherhood airs June 19th and 20th at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. DadLabs Ep. 643 is brought to you by BabyBjorn. Happy Father's Day from all of us at DadLabs!

Daddy Troy:  This episode is sponsored by Baby Bjorn; on today’s program we have Dr. Sanjay Gupta.  He’s got a documentary on CNN, called “Dads For My Daughters”.  It’s about Bruce Feiler, father of two, who finds out he has aggressive form of cancer.  When faced with his own death he rallies his friends to form a council of dads to help raise his daughters should he pass.  Thank-you for being on the program Dr. Gupta. 

Dr. Sanjay Gupta:  Thanks so much for having me Troy, I appreciate it.

Daddy Troy: So what type of cancer did Bruce have?  Could you tell our audience about that? 

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Yea, he was diagnosed with what’s known as osteosarcoma.  This is a rare bone cancer and it’s especially rare in people his age.  Typically, it occurs in people much younger.  He was living at the peak of his life when all of this sort of hit him.  

Daddy Troy: And here we have a dad faced with his own death and rallies around his friends to take care of his child should he pass.  The friends he contacted, they weren’t going to raise his daughters, right?  They were going to actually be involved in their lives in an ongoing basis and mom was going to be in charge of this council of dads. 

Dr. Sanjay Gupta:  That’s basically right.  I mean, he like anybody in that position when he realized how serious this was he had plans.  Troy, he had specific ideas on how he wanted twin daughters who four at the time to be raised.  He wanted to leave his voice as a legacy for them.  You know people who knew him best to be able to tell his daughters about what their father would of done.  What their father would have said in certain situations.  So he found six men and created this council.  But, you’re right it was his wife, Linda, who was going to raise them.  

Daddy Troy: When we think of taking care of our children we think of making sure they are financially taken care of.  I was fascinated by the areas he choose to ask his friends to take care of in his daughters lives.  So for instance, one was adventure or getting out of the box, or getting out of your comfort zone.  Could you talk about that a little bit?

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: One of the men your referring too, Jeff, was a guy Bruce knew when he was young and they used to travel around together and he’s actually a farmer in Vermont.  But he also runs a travel agency.  And as a result as seen so many different parts of the world.  And that was one of the things that Bruce really wanted to teach his daughters. 

Daddy Troy: And to add to that list another dad was going to make sure there was passion in the girl’s lives and reflection.  That got me thinking about what are the thing’s I’m teaching my daughter and son on a daily basis that go beyond what we think of has the standard things we teach our children?  I also feel like when I watch the Doc that it is fairly neat that these men came together as opposed to a council of mom’s.   How did that play into all of this?

Dr. Sanjay Gupta:  Fathers obviously have a huge role in raising their children.  It took a sort of brush with mortality to really realize that.  Why Bruce did the council of dad’s was obviously because he wanted his own voice, a man’s voice, to be heard in his daughters lives.  It could have been anything from helping them go buy shoes, to taking them to a soccer game.  All those things that may seem trivial play such a huge role.  There’s something to be said about relationships between men as well here I think.  Because embarrassingly for me you know because how fast my life moves and maybe yours as well, I don’t know that I have 6 guys who are not co-workers, not family members who could be that voice.   And men letting other men into their lives so well, not they just go out on their own but this men see their families they really get to know each other’s kids.  That’s how life used to be, in the older days so to speak.  Communities raise children.  And now we have become isolated.   Even men to men. Men to women, other women.  It’s a really different way of looking at the world and short of being comforted with your mortality.  These are things you can do today.

Daddy Troy: Right.  I think we often say it takes a community, or a tribe, or village to raise children.  But it also takes a community or a tribe to help someone through cancer.  And it also takes a community or a tribe to simply live life fully.  Check it out it’s called “Dad For My Daughters” and it airs this weekend Saturday June 19 and Sunday June 20 8:00 P.M, 11:00 P.M, 2:00 A.M, all time Eastern.  On CNN.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Yea, we’re very excited about it. Year in the making, but I think it’s a good Father’s Day present as well for all the father’s out the father’s out their and for you as well.  

Daddy Troy: Dr. Gupta thanks for being on the program.