As a catcher for his school’s junior varsity baseball team, 15-year-old Edgar must always be prepared for whatever is thrown his way.
While the occasional wild pitch may slip by, Edgar makes sure it never affects his poise behind the plate. It’s a lesson that he likes to carry with him both on and off the field, thanks to his Big Brother, Justin.
“Edgar is still the same person but his confidence is on another level now. He’ll be the first person to try to introduce himself and become friends” Justin says. “He understands how to be less nervous in certain situations.”
Justin and Edgar were matched on May 3, 2013 through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County.
For Justin, the decision to sign up stemmed from his desire to instill the same father-son relationship he had with his own dad. He wanted to not only expose his Little Brother to sports but also make a tangible difference in the life of a child.
Meanwhile, Edgar just wanted someone to be there for him, like he was for his younger brother, who suffers from a physical disability.
On their first outing together, the pair spent the afternoon at Seal Beach collecting seashells and rocks along the shore. Edgar made sure to grab a few extra souvenirs from the ocean for his brother.
Soon after that, Justin introduced what has since become one of Edgar’s biggest passions in life.
Though Edgar had been an avid fan of football, soccer and basketball, he knew close to nothing about the sport of baseball.
“He didn’t even know how to throw a ball but he got the hang of it pretty quickly,” Justin says. “Within a year or so, he was already much better than me. My arm is sore for days now whenever we play together.”
As the years progress, so have the number of life lessons Justin’s been able to provide Edgar. One of Justin’s proudest moments as a mentor came during Edgar’s graduation ceremony from the OC Sheriff’s Explorer program. As young students made their way to the podium, Justin noticed that none of the kids had been taught how to shake hands properly. He quickly turned the observation into a learning opportunity for Edgar. Before Edgar walked on the stage, Justin gave him a pep talk on how to distinguish himself from the rest of the pack. The message was simple—maintain eye contact with the other person, have a strong grip and most importantly, possess confidence.
“He went up there and absolutely nailed it. Everything I had told him to do was on display in that moment,” Justin says. “Oh man was I proud.”
Edgar’s newfound confidence has even translated to the workplace. During extended breaks from school, Edgar shadows Justin at his job working at Southwest Processors in Los Angeles. Despite being the youngest person in the warehouse, he’s already become a popular guest for the other employees.
“He loves being there and the guys adore him,” Justin said.
With Edgar’s sixteenth birthday fast approaching, Justin’s recently begun serving as his mentor behind the wheel as well. Together, they’ve reviewed the basics of driving and even done practice sessions out in the desert. Edgar plans on waiting to take the permit test until later this summer to avoid distractions during the school year.
While Justin can’t foresee what’s in store for the both of them after that, he is quite certain about one thing.
“As long as he needs me I’ll be there. I don’t plan on going anywhere,” Justin said. “I really do believe this will be a lifelong friendship. I’m fully invested in his future.”
Want to learn more about becoming a mentor?
Click here to get started.
