Big Brother Jacob & Little Brother Preston

Meet Big Brother Jacob and Little Brother Preston who have been matched for 3 years now!

Jacob and Preston first met in February 2021 through our Community-Based mentoring program and have been matched ever since.

Big Beginnings

Preston has always been a part of Jacob’s Fort Wayne life. Before meeting Preston, Jacob had just moved to Fort Wayne for the fire department and settled into his new job when he decided to join Big Brothers Big Sisters. After hearing good things about the program, he felt it was the right one for him.

“Growing up, my father passed away when I was young, and I had a lot of men in my life, whether it was coaches in sports or guys in the church, who stepped up and really filled that role for me,” said Jacob. “So, to be able to do that for someone else is something I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m happy I’m able to do it.”

Being the only boy in a house full of sisters can be tough. Preston describes it as “stressful and annoying.” So when he learned that he was going to get a Big Brother, he was really excited, especially after finding out that Jacob is a firefighter since he has an uncle firefighter.

After meeting for the first time, both were very excited about all the possibilities their match had in store.

Laser X and Getting Lost

Jacob and Preston hit it off right away, with a shared love of being outside and playing sports. Over their years of knowing each other, Preston also got into music and video games, which Jacob finds himself being more and more interested in too. An active pair, this duo can always find something fun and exciting to do together. Their outings have taken them to the park, Laser X, and Sky Zone. On special occasions or for a fun treat, they go out to eat, preferably at Preston’s favorite spots, McDonald’s and Zesto’s.

One of Preston’s favorite adventures together was the very first one: a battle at Laser X. Before they went in, Preston made sure to tell his Big Brother to stick together. However, once they got into the arena, their plan fell apart, and they got blasted at and lost each other in the dark maze.

“And ever since that day, we have been laughing,” said Preston.

But that isn’t the only time this duo has gotten lost. One fall, Big Brothers Big Sisters hosted a fall festival, complete with pumpkins and a corn maze as a Match Activity. On Jacob and Preston’s trip through the corn maze, things went awry when they couldn’t figure out how to get out, and it was already getting dark.

“We were probably the last group of people in this maze. It’s getting dark. Preston’s getting flustered and impatient, and I just kept telling him ‘Calm down; we’ll work through this thing together,’” said Jacob.

Searching for ways to get out, Preston had a plan: “I got the idea of Jacob throwing me into the air so I can spot the gate.”

Although Preston still couldn’t see the gate from up in the air, Preston, Jacob, and Jacob’s fiancée Ellie were finally able to retrace their steps to get out.

“And sure enough, it took us way too long, but we ended up figuring it out. Preston, as we were walking out, he had his arms held up, and this sense of satisfaction was awesome for him,” said Jacob. “Big smile on his face. It was just really cool to see him work through some of those initial emotions and then to come out and be victorious.”

To Teach a Lesson

Mentorship can involve a lot of learning, explicit and implicit. Jacob and Preston are no different.

When asked what the biggest thing he’s learned from Jacob is, Preston said, “When we all work together, we can do things.” And he said he’s already applied this learning to his life. During soccer, although people may not pass to him often, he says the team usually wins from their teamwork.

Jacob stresses that “teaching” is done best by being a good example. Rather than sit Preston down and spell out the things he should or should not do, Jacob believes acting right in his own life to show Preston how to behave is a better way to teach.

“When I originally started in the program, I wanted to teach him and instill all these positive traits that I think a person should have,” started Jacob.

“And really, what I’ve learned through it is that having a good time and showing him how to be respectful—not necessarily trying to teach him things—but allowing him to see my view, how I live my life, and just being an example that way rather than trying to teach a bunch of things. I’ve noticed he picks up more.”

Just being in Preston’s life to hang out with him is enough for Jacob to feel he’s making a difference in his life. When they first met, Preston had a hard time working through getting angry, but now he seems better able to process his emotions. Jacob attributes this to both growing up, but also the people in Preston’s life who show him how to act. Especially when Jacob hears other people talk about things Preston has said, he becomes more assured that he is getting through to him.

“There are not these hard lessons that you have to be able to teach somebody. It’s just being a positive example and living your life in a positive way. That’s going to rub off on the kids more than any other lesson,” said Jacob.

Celebrating Together

As Big Brother and Little Brother, they like to celebrate each other’s successes and achievements.

One of Preston’s favorite memories is when his Big Brother celebrated his 11th birthday with him last year. Everyone had chocolate cake and ice cream and went outside. Preston was especially happy with the Nerf pistol Jacob got him as a present.

One other big achievement they celebrate together is one that has to do with their match: their “bro-versary.”

Preston said, “Our relationship has grown so much because we already have over three ‘bro-versaries,’ like an anniversary for brothers.”

To celebrate their shared milestone, this pair likes to go to Laser X, have a Mario Kart tournament, or play BrawlHalla together.

Another of Preston’s accomplishments that this match celebrates is his great school performance in classes and extracurriculars. Last year, Preston got all As in school, and so he is looking forward to school again this year to continue this streak. He is also looking forward to possibly playing football.

“If he’s struggling in school with something or if he’s got a big accomplishment that his mom’s real proud of, she tells me,” said Jacob.

What is an “Everyday Hero”?

With Preston’s mom inviting Jacob to family events and sharing updates with him, he especially feels like he is a part of something BIG. Always celebrating with each other like this makes Jacob and Preston feel like they are family.

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Everyday Heroes campaign is all about showing how you don’t have to be superhuman or wear a cape to be somebody’s hero. Ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference in a child’s life through just showing up.

“Like I said, it doesn’t have to be this big sit-down learning process. Just being in their life, and them being able to watch from the sidelines, that goes such a long way in positivity,” said Jacob.

We are excited to see what the future holds in store for this Big and Little Brother. These two are excited for their many bro-versaries to come:

“I’m proud of him, and I’m excited to see him grow into a young man and it will be really cool to see him as a teenager and then as a young adult. I hope he’s always in my life in some aspect,” said Jacob.

“He will always be my best friend. Even if even if we don’t agree on everything, we will always be brothers,” said Preston.

Will you take the challenge of becoming an Everyday Hero?

Wanting to make a difference? Learn more about volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters here. Wanting to take the next step? Start the application process here.