• Serving Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse and Kalkaska Counties
October 5, 2020 Web Developer

Little Brother Ben recently witnessed his dad being arrested and is now facing the very real possibility that he will not see him for the next 12 years while his dad is in prison – basically for the rest of his childhood.  When Ben talks about it, he tries to hide that he’s not worried about it, but his shoulders slump, his eyes glass over with tears and he won’t look you in the eye.  Ben is very honest when he said that he loves his dad, but does not love his choices.  While Ben is a talkative, energetic and generally happy kid, he harbors feelings of anger and fear and is unsure what to do with those emotions.

Big Brother Gary grew up in an environment almost identical to Ben’s, which unfortunately, led him down a similar path including drug charges and significant time spent in a correctional facility.  Gary has spent the last 10 years rebuilding his life, which includes a loving family and supportive friends.  Gary now owns his own business.

Ben lit up the moment he met Gary.  They connected instantly as they bonded over their love of adventure and quickly made a list of things they could do together including fishing, taking America Ninja Warrior courses and zip-lining.  Perhaps having a role model that genuinely understand Ben’s situation, and decided to choose a better life for himself, will help Ben avoid the missteps that were modeled for him.

We are BIG believers in second chances and this is just one example of the many second chances we are blessed to witness.