Imagine getting married in May, then buying a house and still finding time to get matched with a "Little" through Big Brothers Big Sisters.
"I kept putting this off. Kept saying I was going to do it," said Big Brother T.J. Collins. "And finally my brother said, 'Are you going to do this thing or not?' And finally I pulled the trigger."
Collins and his little brother Anthony were matched just a few weeks before Collins's wedding.
"It can be a little challenging, but it's a nice little release and it's always in the schedule," said Collins.
Anthony needed more male role models in his life. Collins is happy to fill the void.
"It was pretty easy right off the bat. Anthony's not too shy, and I'm not too shy, so I think we immediately started throwing the football around a little bit, throwing the baseball around and got to know each other," said Collins.
"I always wanted a Big Brother, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters said I could get a Big," said Anthony.
They hang out each week for a few hours at a time, at one point even making a stop in the Chiefs locker room.
Collins is also helping Anthony get ready to play for his local football team next year, teaching him some important lessons along the way.
"We try to be active and have an active lifestyle which includes being healthy and eating right," said Collins.
With Collins's busy schedule, committing to a weekly meeting with a Little was a Hail Mary that paid off.
If you would like to learn more about the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, click here.
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Justin Wilfon can be reached at justin.wilfon@kshb.com.
