Celebrating the Fathers Who Step Up: A Conversation with Single Dad Oryan

Father's Day often shines a spotlight on the dads who quietly go about their responsibilities without expecting recognition.

On this special episode of the BFF Empowerment Podcast, I wanted to do just that—give fathers their flowers and highlight a perspective that isn't talked about nearly enough: the journey of a single father.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Oryan Battis, a music artist, entrepreneur, and most importantly, a proud single dad to his four-year-old daughter. Like many of the guests who join the podcast, Oryan wears multiple hats. Alongside his music career, he has built an online merchandise store featuring his album artwork on T-shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs, and more. His philosophy is simple: multiple streams of income are the key.

But beyond the business and the creativity is a man dedicated to raising his daughter.

The Reality of Single Fatherhood

When people hear the phrase "single parent," many automatically picture a mother. Single fathers often go unnoticed, and their stories are rarely shared. During our conversation, Oryan spoke openly about how life circumstances led him to become his daughter's primary caregiver.

At first, he was only able to spend weekends with her while working a full-time job. Eventually, it became clear that she would be better off living with him full time, and he embraced that responsibility wholeheartedly.

There was no dramatic story for attention. There was simply a father making the choice to show up for his child.

A Journey of Independence

Originally from Sarasota, Florida, Oryan's path eventually led him to North Carolina. After earning his associate degree and pursuing a future in orientation and mobility instruction, he found himself at a crossroads.

He had experienced a difficult childhood and was living with his grandmother while trying to figure out his next move. Instead of sitting still, he created opportunities for himself.

Through a local organization serving the blind community, he developed a program called Walk and Talk, where he would take blind and visually impaired individuals on neighborhood walks, encouraging conversation, social interaction, and community. He even incorporated chair yoga and group discussions to help people feel less isolated.

It was a meaningful service, but like many passion projects, it wasn't enough to pay the bills.

Looking for stability, Orion made the bold decision to move to North Carolina after learning about employment opportunities through Industries for the Blind. Seven years later, he is still there, proving that sometimes the biggest leaps of faith lead to the greatest blessings.

Finding Common Ground

One of my favorite moments during our conversation was realizing how much our stories overlapped.

As two blind professionals, we both shared experiences working in manufacturing environments for organizations serving the blind community. We laughed about the challenges of learning to sew, operating industrial equipment, and navigating jobs that many people would never imagine blind individuals could perform.

I even shared my own memories of being terrified around sewing machines and the many little accidents that came with learning the trade. Despite the fear, those experiences taught us independence, confidence, and the value of hard work.

For many people, blindness comes with assumptions about what we cannot do. Our conversation served as a reminder that blind people are teachers, entrepreneurs, creators, parents, and hardworking professionals who continue to break barriers every day.

More Than a Father's Day Story

This conversation wasn't just about fatherhood.

It was about resilience.

It was about creating opportunities when life doesn't hand them to you.

It was about leaving behind difficult circumstances and building a better future for yourself and your child.

And perhaps most importantly, it was about recognizing that fathers who nurture, sacrifice, and lead with love deserve to have their stories told too.

Final Thoughts

The BFF Empowerment Podcast has always been about giving people a platform to share their authentic journeys. Oryan's story is a testament to the fact that strength doesn't always look the way society expects it to.

Sometimes strength is moving across state lines for a better opportunity.

Sometimes strength is creating your own job when one doesn't exist.

Sometimes strength is raising a child and making sure they know they are loved every single day.

This Father's Day, let's celebrate the dads who show up, the dads who sacrifice, and the dads who quietly change the world one day at a time.

Because fatherhood isn't just about being present.

It's about being intentional.

And Oryan is a beautiful example of what that looks like.