In Print

Family Affair

Y&R’s Stephen Nichols (Tucker) can be proud of his long career in entertainment. Yet, if you ask the showbiz vet about what’s most important in his life, he’ll point to his three children, Vanessa, 32, Aaron, 29, and Dylan, 18.

“Being a father defines who I am,” he says simply. “Whenever I have had trouble getting motivated, I only needed to think of Vanessa, Aaron and Dylan. My children are my source of inspiration and the very meaning of my existence.”

Throughout the years, Nichols has been treated to both traditional and nontraditional Father’s Day memories. “We always get together, but quite often, the kids will get up early and prepare breakfast and serve it to me in bed,” he recounts with a smile. “Most recently, my daughter, Vanessa, was married in May 2008,” he says. “A couple of weeks later, on Father’s Day, she presented me with a very special gift. When I opened it, I began to sob uncontrollably. It was her wedding veil in a display box surrounding a beautiful poem she had written for me!”

Other memorable moments include a Father’s Day in 1996. “I get a call for the hospital, “Your son, Aaron, is here with a badly broken leg (from a skateboarding accident” – happy Father’s Day!” he recalls with a laugh. Perhaps a better recollection was last year. “We had a high-school graduation for my daughter, Dylan,” shares the proud dad who was more than happy to share his special day with his youngest. “I can’t imagine my life without my kids.”