CONTINENTAL GIFT
August 5, 2013 by Las Vegas Black Image Magazine
Filed under Extra, Feature
On a trip to Europe, a single black father gives his children the experience of a lifetime.
BY KIMBERLY BAILEY-TUREAUD
Defying all misconceptions about the quality time that single black fathers spend with their children, Las Vegas orthopedic surgeon Dr. Archie Perry recently took his five children on a European vacation.
“I was offered an opportunity to teach a course in Malta … this summer, which I decided would also be a perfect vacation for my five children,” said Perry. “I arrived a few days earlier than my children, who were escorted by my oldest son. My children, four sons and a daughter, range in age from 8 to 20. They have always wanted to visit Europe.”
A product of a humble beginnings in historic West Las Vegas — raised on D Street and Lake Mead — Perry’s love for his children inspired him to make the trip. “My children are my life,” he said, “and I looked forward to showing all of them the best time possible while in Europe.”
After his work was completed in Malta, Perry and his children began their journey by meeting up in Rome, which is where their continental adventure began.
“When we first arrived in Rome, everyone was jetlagged and hungry,” Perry recalled. “But the next day, we were off to see the ancient Roman sites. They were most impressed with seeing buildings and monuments that was thousands of years old. The Roman Colosseum, where the gladiators fought, excited my boys; and my daughter was very intrigued by the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, because of all the artistic murals and tapestry.”
Perry soon discovered that, in order to satisfy his children, the vacation would have to involve more than visits to historical sites. “I quickly noticed that even though sightseeing was at the top of my parental list, my children were looking for more.” He decided that bringing them to Malta — where everyone could enjoy the beach, and the older children could get a taste of the teen nightlife — would fit the bill.
“We skipped going to Venice because of the detour back to Malta,” he said. “My children loved all the water activities and the beach. We stayed there for a few days, and then went to Florence, Italy. We had a blast. When we arrived back in Las Vegas, we were all tired — and the greatest gift … was sleeping in our own beds.”