When Kian Zarkechvari welcomed triplets during the height of the pandemic, he was met with fear, stress, and unanswered questions.
“It was unexpected,” Zarkechvari recalls. “Having three kids at the same time during the pandemic was crushing. It was stressful—financially, emotionally.”
Zarkechvari, a former infantry officer turned financial advisor, said nothing prepared him for the sense of isolation he felt in the hospital waiting room. “All the support was for women. I was looking for blogs online, and there was no support for soon-to-be fathers. Who do I talk to?”
The lack of resources for first-time fathers, especially during a global crisis, lit a fire under him. “I cannot let other men go through this alone,” he said. “That’s when I started building a support group. A coping strategy for fatherhood, for resiliency.”
Out of this moment of panic and purpose, Zarkechvari wrote Fathers in Waiting, a book dedicated to men’s mental health and building a supportive fatherhood community. Published in 2022 and available on Amazon, the book soared to number one in men’s health and sexual health categories. Zarkechvari said that while his book has been purchased globally, his biggest readership is in the U.S., even though most of the buyers were women.
“For men, even buying the book can feel like admitting weakness,” he said. “But I wanted to give people the option to not have to talk about it—just something they could read and find strength in.”
His partner was a key pillar of support. “She believed that men needed this help too.”
But Zarkechvari’s impact hasn’t stopped with the book. He now leads a growing community of fathers seeking mental health support and connection. He’s also been featured in Champions, an upcoming show airing this fall on Eastlink, which focuses on mentoring and uplifting community voices.
“Champions is about seeing what positive things can be done. It opened the door for conversations around how men can be better men in the community,” he said. “We have to help ourselves to help others.”
Through his work, following his passion in the modelling and acting industries, Zarkechvari uses his platform to reach fathers who might not otherwise seek help. “Mental health is so important—that’s why I wrote the book. I want to break that silence. Men believe silence is strength, but most of the time, it’s not.”
Zarkechvari is a supporter of the IWK Health Centre. They advocate for paternal mental health and resilience. His message for Father’s Day is inclusive and powerful: “You don’t need to be a dad biologically or through adoption. You are a role model. And it’s ok to not be ok.”
Raised in a Persian household, Zarkechvari has chosen a different parenting style than his parents did—one that leans into openness and independence. “The style I was used to was very sheltering. My style is rooted in letting them do what they want. I want them to flourish and be happy—whatever that means to them.”
Despite his success, Zarkechvari admits he still struggles with fear when he looks at his children. “This isn’t the world I remember. It’s terrifying. Year on year, it’s gotten scarier. What are the little things I can do today and every day to make the world a better place?”
That question fuels his work and his optimism. He hopes Fathers in Waiting will be a lifeline for new dads and a starting point for reshaping societal expectations. Having a career shift, raising kids, publishing a book, and being on set has taught Zarkechvari, “you can only fail to plan, you cannot plan to fail.” His book offers a different kind of strength—one built not on stoicism, but on honesty, vulnerability, and the power of community.
“There’s no need for the expectation to be perfect,” he said. “It’s OK to cry sometimes.”
This article appears in Jun 1-30, 2025.