The Men That I Admire Most

"Behind every great man there's a great woman."

This well-known quote implies that a great man has the support of a great woman.  I agree with the implications of this quote.  I am not going to get into a Feminist debate here, because I wish to focus on something else.  I agree that a man should have a "great" woman in his life, but I also believe that a great man should look up to other male role-models.

I started to think about this a few weeks ago when I was talking with one of my friends about who has influenced me and who I admire.  In this post, I will list some of the guys that I admire most and discuss their influence over me.

Chris Martin

Anybody who knows me well can attest to my slight obsession with Coldplay.  I really admire each of the band members, but (as any Coldplay fan will tell you) Chris Martin is the heart and soul of the band.  They wouldn't be a success without each member working together, but Chris is really the glue that holds everything together.  I admire him primarily for his song-writing abilities.  He has had a profound influence over me as a song-writer and as a musician.  I will forever be in pursuit of influencing others as strongly as he has influenced me.



Michael Westen (fictional character played by Jeffrey Donovan  on "Burn Notice")

This may sound lame, but I really admire a person that doesn't actually exist.  I am sure that there are people out there similar to him, but no one will ever be quite like Michael Westen.  If you haven't seen the show, Michael is a spy that is burned (fired) from his government job, and he is forced to stay in Miami (I will probably dedicate an entire blog post to this show).  I have been a loyal fan since season 2 and it is one of the only shows (in addition to Top Gear) that I will watch on a regular basis.  In many ways, I aspire to be like Michael.  He is incredibly resourceful, quick thinking and intelligent.  He really cares for his family and friends will do anything to keep them out of harm's way.  He also drives a 1973 Dodge Charger Rallye which is an amazing car.  Throughout the seasons, he has taken on every bad guy imaginable and he plays the consummate hero well.  He is a "man's man" and is always placing himself into the line of fire in order to save the day and protect the innocent.  I know that he doesn't exist, but he does exist as a symbol; something that all men can aspire to be.

Paul Walker

I have liked Paul Walker as an actor ever since I saw him in The Fast and the Furious.  I can relate to him because he is passionate about cars and surfing.  He appears to be a really chill guy that gets along with everyone.  However, I really admire him for the work that he does off screen.  He is active in the preserving of great white sharks and has been involved with several initiatives to keep the great white population from disappearing.  He also avoids the Hollywood scene and leads a rather simple life.  I never see him in celebrity news (not that I really watch this stuff), but I admire that he doesn't wish to be the center of attention.  In a Men's Health article, he says that he built his own home in Indonesia and he will go there for a few months out of the year and live off of the land.  I think that this is awesome!  He has made enough money to live as richly as he would like, and yet he chooses to live simply and enjoy nature.  I do not aspire to be wealthy, but if I ever come into money, I hope to treat fortune in the same way as Paul Walker.

Richard Hammond

For those of you who do not watch Top Gear, Richard Hammond (AKA Hamster) is a co-presenter on the greatest show about all things cars.  On the show, he is known as the young one and he infuses a "hip coolness" into each episode.  I admire his taste in cars, his sense of style, and most importantly his attitude about life.  In 2006, he was involved in a car crash that could have ended his life.  Suffering a brain injury, Hammond was not expected to fully recover.  Well he did recover and he continues to work on Top Gear in addition to working on other projects.  He is my favorite petrolhead and I will continue to pay attention to his thoughts about the future of motoring. 



Jason David Frank

Better known as the Green/White Ranger, from the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, Jason David Frank has had an influence over me since I was a small boy.  He is the main reason as to why I got involved in martial arts in the first place.  I would certainly be a very different person today had I not taken martial arts for so many years.  More recently, he has founded Jesus Didn't Tap.  It is a Christian-affiliated MMA organization that promotes Christianity in the world of mixed-martial arts.  I think that this is a really amazing endeavor.  The world of martial arts has never really been associated with Christianity and I really admire all of the work that JDF is doing in order to spread the gospel. 



Lance Armstrong

Anybody who has known me for any length of time will realize that I really admire Lance Armstrong.  I have proudly worn a Livestrong "baller band" since 2004 when he won his sixth Tour de France.  I never take it off, ever.  I keep it on at all times as a reminder of how strong a human can be.  Lance Armstrong's battle with cancer is the ultimate example of the indomitable spirit.  I may not agree with his personal choices, but I will always admire his attitude and spirit.  Since beating cancer, he has gone on to raise millions of dollars for cancer research and he is constantly raising awareness about this disease.  He has inspired millions of people all over the world and he inspired me to continue pressing on in life.  I use Lance's attitude and apply it to my spiritual life.  Paul says in Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  The Christian life is an uphill battle, but we should never, ever give up.


My Father- Kenneth McKee

I admire both of my parents for many reasons, but since we are talking about male role-models I will have to leave out my Mum for the moment (Mum, if you are reading this, I am sorry).  My Dad is very smart and hard-working.  He cares for his family and has provided for us through many difficult times.  He was brave enough to move his entire family to a foreign land and we have really thrived here in America.  He is an excellent runner, having run many marathons.  His level of physical fitness saved his life when a doctor told him that his left anterior descending artery was completely clogged.  His heart had actually built its own bypass and that is what prevented him from having a heart attack.  I thank God everyday that my Dad is still alive and that near death experience is a big reason why I wish to continue running and staying active.  My Dad is also a great musician and he has influenced me in countless ways.  From my taste in music, to how I play the guitar, I have been influenced my Dad.  I may not have discovered David Bowie, Thin Lizzy, or Neil Young if it wasn't for my Dad.  I hope that I can be as good a father someday.

I am also old enough to realize that my Dad couldn't have done any of these things without my Mum!  She is the reason why I am here.  She is the "great woman" behind the "great man."

My Grandfather- Alexander McKee

The original Alexander McKee (I am named after him) dropped out of school at the age of 13 in order to work full-time and provide for the family.  He has served his country in the Royal Navy and still attends Naval functions.  He has seen the world at war and has lived through extremely difficult times.  He has been married to the same woman for over 50 years.  He is a great leader of our entire McKee family.  He has a great sense of humour and he is incredibly intelligent.  I have many fond memories of sitting on his lap while he told stories of his life and I would always be amazed at the things that he has done.  I am really looking forward to being a grandfather, so that I can carry on his legacy.

On a side note, Gaga (my Grandfather) turns 80 in May!  I really want to be there, but it is just too dear.  I cannot afford it.  I am saving hard for next Summer, when I can hopefully return and spend some long overdue time with my family.

There are countless other individuals who have had a profound influence over me, but I wanted to try and keep this post short.  I have said this before, but if you are reading this blog post, then you have had an influence over my life.  I could not be where I am today without each of you.

Thank you for everything.