Once 11 and now 18, London’s Big Sister Has Had Her Back All the Way

Date: June 19, 2021

We are thrilled to celebrate the story of a Little Sister who has remained laser-focused on achieving her goals and a Big Sister who has had her back for almost seven years.

London became a Little Sister in August of 2014.  At that time, London’s mother wanted her daughter to have someone special “just for her” who could help her develop skills for school work, reading, and general life skills.  After a few months, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry paired her with her Big Sister, Rebecca. During their first outing as relative strangers, the mentoring pair spent two (2) hours at the waterfront park in Downtown Charleston. And now, nearly seven (7) years later, their bond is amazingly strong. A few of their common interests include going shopping together, reading books, watching movies, and sharing meals. Through regular time together, London and Rebecca have developed an incredibly close relationship and communicate with each other all the time.

London is now 18 years old and will soon be a graduate of West Ashley High School. With the dedicated support of her mother and her Big Sister, London feels that she is ready to conquer the world. Interested in a career in the military, she is strongly considering the Navy and the Air Force. She has met with recruiters and has even begun preparing to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) soon. London’s mother and Rebecca both support her decision to seek a career in the military. They have provided her with study materials to assist in her preparation for the ASVAB and have agreed to set up times for her speak with a few of their friends who have previously served in the military.

When we asked London to reflect on her relationship with Rebecca, she shared that she and Rebecca have become great friends. “I love Rebecca’s personality. She is very nice and trustworthy. She has always made me feel like she cared about me and my goals. She always pushes me to stay on top of things by focusing and achieving every goal that I set forth.” She also shared that Rebecca has helped her to gain confidence and push through some of her natural shyness. According to London, “Now, I am not afraid to speak up for myself and do what is best for me.”

London’s mother shared that she adores the bond that London and Rebecca have created. She feels that they are very close and that they talk to each other all the time. She shared that, “they have developed trust for each other and have amazing communication. It seems that London really has a real big sister in Rebecca.” According to Mom, “My daughter has grown into an amazing young lady.  She is very smart and mature. I feel that Rebecca has truly contributed to her growth and development because she has always given London the push that she needs.”

When we asked Rebecca to share her thoughts on her relationship with London, she said, “We have definitely become friends. I am still her mentor, but I feel she definitely shares more about her life each time we talk. I feel that she is truly my little sister and I have plans to support her in any way that I can for the rest of her life.” Rebecca also shared that London’s mother “is the most hardworking, sweet, loving mother that I have ever known. She takes great care of everyone around her, especially London. I am happy to help support and provide guidance to London whenever needed, especially if that assists [her mother].”

Lastly, Rebecca reflected on the growth that she has witnessed with London over the past seven years. “She has the best sense of humor, she always makes me laugh whenever we talk to each other. When I first met her at 11 years-old, she was so quiet and shy. She now handles every situation in the most appropriate manner and is very outspoken. I am so proud of her and have become her number one fan!”

We are delighted to celebrate London on her success of graduating high school and we thank Rebecca for being an dedicated Big Sister. We believe that mentoring relationships begin with compatible perfect strangers who become great friends and sometimes even become family.  We are sure London and Rebecca are in the latter category and hope their relationship will last a lifetime.