I am truly honored that Alex and Jocelyn have chosen Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island as one of their charities to support on their special day. For almost 45 years, I have been part of this organization as a volunteer, mentor, Board Member, and President. My commitment to this cause began in 1978 when I was matched with my “Little Brother”, Nathan.
I would never have thought that first meeting would have been the start of my journey. Nate was 8 years old when we met, and I was his official "Big" until he turned 18 and continued as his unofficial “Big” until his battle with kidney disease ended his life suddenly at 23. During the 15 years, there were many good times as well as challenging and sad times, but he managed to get through them with hope and optimism. As I sat with him on that last day, his wish was that we could be a team that would encourage other adults to volunteer to become “Bigs” to make a difference in a young child’s life. I promised we would do that, and I continue to honor that promise alone. Today, there are thousands of children waiting for “Bigs”, and your donation to “Nathan’s Promise” will help us recruit “Bigs” and support these matches. You can make a difference in the life of a child!