A Father Becomes His Family’s Power Source

In the rural stretches of Pennsylvania, where power outages last for days and the neighbors are a distant blur across the fields, one man has quietly become a beacon of light, literally and emotionally for his family and community. His name is Paul, but to his daughter’s cheerleading team, he’s affectionately known as “Wagon Boy.”

At every competition, it’s Paul pulling a small wagon packed with essentials: snacks, curling irons, phone chargers, flashlights, and always a Jackery portable power station. “They all come to me now,” he laughs. “If a phone’s dead or someone needs to plug something in, they know I’ve got power.”

But Paul doesn’t just bring power to devices. He brings calm, care, and consistency. At the heart of every emergency or moment of need, he’s not only charging equipment—he’s steadying emotions.

A Life Built on Readiness

Paul didn’t set out to become the guy who was always ready. But maybe it was inevitable. He joined the local ambulance service as a teenage volunteer, got his EMT license at 20, and spent two decades responding to emergencies. Over time, the work wore down his knees, but it sharpened something else, a deeply rooted sense that, when things go wrong, you have to be the one who’s ready.

“You learn quickly,” he says, “that sometimes, nobody’s coming. You need to be able to take care of yourself. And your family.”

Finding Power with Purpose

That sense of responsibility didn’t end when Paul stepped out of the ambulance. It followed him into his home, into fatherhood, into everyday life. Diagnosed with sleep apnea, Paul needed electricity to power his CPAP machine at night. It made camping, something he loved, nearly impossible, until he discovered Jackery on TikTok through creator Nate Petrosky.

He began researching, tested a few brands, and finally landed on the Jackery Explorer 100 Plus.

“It was small. Lightweight. Fit right into my backpack,” he says. “I could bring it to work, take it to the park, go camping again. And it was powerful enough to run what I needed—CPAP, phones, flashlights. Even a little solar panel if I wanted.”

Powering the Household, and Their Hearts

What started as a personal solution quickly became something more. His wife began taking one with her on business trips. His teenage daughter started using it whenever the power went out, which, in their rural area, happens often. And at some point, it simply became part of the family rhythm: Paul prepares, the family relaxes.

“There’s something about that,” he says. “Knowing that even if I’m not home, my daughter can still charge her phone. My wife can still get her work calls. It’s peace of mind.”

The Cheer Dad with Power to Spare

At cheerleading events, Paul becomes more than a helpful parent. He becomes the emotional anchor. When the team’s curling iron failed right before a performance, Paul quietly powered it with his Jackery. Crisis averted.

Other parents, especially one professional photographer, now come to him when they need last-minute charges. “You don’t plan for this stuff,” Pau says. “But when you’re the only one who can help, it feels good to be ready.”

His daughter loves it. “She tells her friends, ‘You’ll never run out of battery when my dad’s around.’ That means more to me than any applause.”

Steady as a Father’s Love

Paul sees energy not just as electricity, but as connection. “We rely on power for everything—communication, safety, comfort,” he says. “And when it’s gone, you realize how vulnerable you are.”

For Paul, being prepared is not about fear. It’s about love. Paul says he’s noticed how often people underestimate their dependence on electricity. “We rely on it for everything: communication, health, even comfort. But most people don’t think about backup until it’s too late,” he says. That’s part of why he quietly enjoys being the one who’s ready. For him, preparedness isn’t paranoia—it’s a form of love. “It’s not dramatic. It’s just steady,” he adds. “Like being a dad, you don’t need applause, just the quiet confidence that your family’s okay.”

“When the lights go out, my wife and daughter start laughing. They say I look like a kid on Christmas,” he says. “I start plugging everything in, getting everything set up. It’s not that I want the power to go out. But I love knowing we’re ready.”

Jackery as a Symbol of Care

Jackery, for Paul, is more than just a device, it’s a symbol of care, of foresight, and of family-first thinking. As Jackery continues to grow, launching advanced models like the Explorer 2000 Plus and the HomePower 3000, Paul is excited about what’s coming next.

“Lighter, safer, more power. It's exactly what families like mine need,” he says. With each innovation, Jackery isn’t just powering devices, it’s powering peace of mind, one home at a time.