Making a Difference: 'Big Brother' is former 'Little Brother'

TULSA - It's a relationship that started four years ago, but David Barnes and his little brother Josh have created memories that will last a lifetime.

David isn't Josh's real brother. He's his match through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

"It's a fantastic thing to do," said David. "There's no other way to put it."

"He's just a person I can look up to and have as a role model," said Josh Brazell.

David knows what this experience can do for a child's life, because he has a big brother too.

"We've been matched for 24 years now, said David. "Even though the agency stopped counting about 15 years ago, we still count it."

David's big brother Doug Vincent has plenty of memories of his own, but not all of them are happy.  

Like most Littles, David's father was out of the picture. And then eight years after being matched with Doug, his mother died of cancer.

"Like being around anybody when there's a death, particularly a kid, it's stressful but rewarding," said Doug.

Big Brother Doug became a father too.

"I promised his mother when I started that I was in it for the long haul," said Doug.

And now David is in it for the long haul with Josh.

"If anything I've got more out of it than I've put into it."

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