PBS News Hour

Finally tonight for Father's Day and animated feature from our partners at StoryCorps Doctor William Lynn Weaver, a renowned surgeon helped integrate a Knoxville high school in 1964.

Even in those difficult times, he said he felt safe and supported thanks to his father, Ted Weaver, who worked long hours as a janitor and chauffeur doctor.

Weaver, who died in 2019 remembered his father's influence in this 2007 conversation with his daughter, Kimberly.

My father was everything to me.

And it's actually kind of difficult talking about him without becoming very emotional.

Up until you know he died.

Every decision I made, I'd always call him.

And he would never tell me what to do.

But he would always listen and say, Well, what do you want to do?

And he made me feel like I could do anything that I wanted to do.

I can remember when we integrated the schools that there were many times when I was just scared, and I didn't think that I would survive and I'd look up and he'd be there.

And whenever I saw him, I knew that I was safe.

You know, I always tell you that your your mama is the smartest person I've ever met.

But I think my father ranks right up there as as brilliant.

When I was in high school, I was taken algebra.

And I was sitting at the kitchen table trying to do my homework.

And I got frustrated, said.

I just can't figure this out.

I'm just so my father said.

What's the problem?

He came by, he said.

What's the problem?

And I said, that's just algebra and they said, Well, let me look at it.

I said that they didn't even have algebra in your day.

And I went to sleep.

And around four o'clock that morning.

He woke me up.

He said.

Come on, son.

Get out.

He sent me at the kitchen table and he taught me Algebra.

What he had done is set up.

All night and read the algebra book.

And then he explained the problems to me.

So I could do them and understand them.

And to this day I live my life trying to be half the man.

My father was Just half the man.

And, uh, I would be a success.

If my Children love me half as much as I love my father.