Match Profile: Edward and TJ

Date: October 04, 2021

Little Brother TJ, who is 10 and currently a fourth grader, waited for just over a year to be matched with a Big Brother who would perfectly match his interests and personality. TJ’s mother described him as being a loving, outgoing, helpful, and intelligent child. His interests include many outdoor activities such as kayaking, fishing, swimming, biking, and just enjoying nature and the outdoors. Some of his other interests are playing baseball and basketball, watching hockey games, and playing board games. TJ shared with us that he wanted to be paired with a Big Brother who enjoyed playing sports and was someone who he could feel comfortable talking about his friends, fun activities that he has done, and sports with.

Big Brother Edward is an Army veteran with a degree in Biology and currently works as a consultant with S&ME, Inc. Edward was referred to us by a friend who had previously served as a Big. Edward and TJ have been matched for just over two (2) years! On their first outing, they went fishing, and when they did not have any luck catching anything, they went downtown to a Coast Guard open house. Upon returning to TJ’s home, they continued their outing by riding bikes around his neighborhood and throwing a football back and forth. They share many of the same common interests and hobbies such as baseball, basketball, biking, climbing trees, cars, fixing things, cheeseburgers, driving go-carts and golf carts, and having deep conversations.

TJ described his relationship with his Big Brother Edward by saying, “it’s a lot of fun because we get to go places and do things together. I love spending time with him and being taught how to do new things like changing a lock or going fishing.” TJ’s mother expressed, “TJ began BBBS to have a good, positive male role model in his life. We could not be more suited with our match as Edward has been a blessing for TJ and exceeded any expectations I could ask for in a match. These two are two peas in a pod!” When we asked her about TJ’s school performance since being matched with Edward, she conveyed, “TJ’s grades have remained high since being matched with Edward. While I can’t say that he excels in any particular subject, his favorite subject is history.”

Edward and TJ’s mother have a great partnership which Edward highlighted, stating, “[She] is an amazing mom. [She] also has a very supportive family that is heavily involved in TJ’s life. [She] and I talk fairly regularly about what’s going on with TJ, and I think that I’m better able to reinforce what she is doing with her openness and guidance. I think between her, her family, and hopefully in some small way me, that TJ has a pretty good support group.” When we asked him what he has gained from becoming a mentor, he stated, “By becoming a mentor I’ve gained a definite sense of pride and hope for the future. If I can positively influence another person in some small way then I’ve done a good thing. That’s true for all of us. Parents do it everyday.”

According to Edward, TJ is currently undecided about what he would like to be when he grows up, but he has unlimited potential. Edward asserted that, “I see enormous potential in TJ. He’s a smart kid with a really good heart, an amazing mom, and a ton of family support. As long as he is willing to put in the work, the sky is the limit for this kid!”