There is no evidence that proves affirmative care and hormones are the most effective treatment for gender dysphoria. It is more likely that gender dysphoria itself is a symptom of our culture today and a variety of other mental health issues.
The "treatment" for gender dysphoria does not seem to be working very well for this kid. The dad says he had a good relationship with his son doing competitive archery, camping, fishing, and shooting guns. I would say that the boy seemed to have a decent life before going trans. It does not seem like life has been better since turning trans.
The kid acted different for "a few months" and then made a decision at the age of 12 that changed the rest of his life. This is child abuse and the medical community has failed this kid. He went from competitive archery to dropping out of high school within 4 years.
I feel the pain that this dad has. He doesn't sound like he has much medical knowledge, but his instincts told him that changing from a boy to girl is not normal. Unfortunately the medical community reinforced the insane idea of turning trans and this kids life got worse from there.
They did not mention suicide attempts prior to transitioning, but there were 2 attempts after transitioning. I think a kid might feel pretty bad if the doctor tells the kid that changing into a girl will fix his problems, but in reality, it only made life worse.
I do not think this is a story to be celebrated. I feel bad for this kid and his dad. This kid will likely always have a hard time in life because of the path he has taken. This dad just wants his kid to be happy and will do anything to make it happen, unfortunately, for most kids, turning trans does not bring the happiness they think it will.