Rob and RJ

RJ was a 15-year-old who lived in a state of constant uncertainty because of his unstable home situation. When he was 11, his parents relentlessly argued and he learned about his father's infidelity towards his mother. When his parents couldn't resolve their issues, his mother decided she could no longer handle the continuous turmoil and decided to leave the family. RJ woke up one morning to his mother telling him she was leaving, putting him and his brother in the care of their father. He didn't see his mother for an entire year after that morning. During that year, RJ struggled with depression and abandonment. He felt as if he didn't have a support system and his family had drifted apart. They were moving homes frequently. He started acting out at home and in school for attention. 

When he turned 13, his parents officially divorced. His mother came back into the picture when his father could no longer financially support RJ and his brother, gaining full custody of the two. Because of the limited parental supervision, RJ and his brother took to the streets. RJ had begun to test his limits, and one day while walking alone he got himself in trouble with a gang of boys that resulted in a physical fight. This led to a war that lasted about nine months, and in that time RJ got seriously injured. He began to carry a metal pipe with him "at all times" for self defense. At 14, his father was convicted for drug dealing and put in prison. Just as RJ began to lose hope, a counselor recommended him to Friends for Youth. Immediately, his outlook started to change: "I thought it would be nice to have someone take me away from my house for a while. I got fed up with the idea that I might end up a low-life". Even though he was on the waitlist, Friends for Youth invited him to an event for waitlisted youth a few days later at a San Francisco Giants game. RJ got to stand in the middle of the field during the game while Friends for Youth was awarded the "Outstanding Volunteer Program" award from Oracle. He happened to sit next to a prior mentor named Rob during the game and they had a deep conversation about his life. A little while later, he got a call that he had been matched with a mentor, and that he was coming over that afternoon to meet him. To RJ's surprise, when he opened the door that afternoon, it was Rob! They have been in contact ever since that day for nearly 10 years, and Rob has supported RJ through high school graduation, family hardship, and college applications.