What a story it is…I was matched with my little brother Juan in 2004 and we are still hanging out to this day. Juan was 7 years old when we were matched and I remember holding his hand and walking across the street to the park with him. It is now 2018 and Juan is now 21 years old and in the army. He is currently stationed in Afghanistan serving his country and I couldn’t be more proud of him.
I have always said, my little brother Juan has impacted my life more than I feel I have impacted him. He may say otherwise, but my experience as a Big Brother has prepared me to be the father I am today. It has humbled me and created the opportunity for Juan and I to have a friendship to this day…14 years after we were paired together.
Another amazing twist to this story is that I met my wife through Big Brothers Big Sisters. There was one Big Sister in the program that I had met a few years of volunteering and that Big Sister happen to introduce me to one of her best friends one evening while out with friends. We clicked on our first date and this year we will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and have two wonderful sons. In fact our oldest son will turn 7 this year, which is the same age Juan was when we first met. My experience as a Big Brother has changed my life in so many ways and it continues on with the bond Juan and I have to this day.