Big Sister Dru and Little Sister Diamond have been matched for 2.5 years. They are consistently spending time together and truly enjoy every minute together. “Even during COVID when we were all pretty much on lockdown, we FaceTime weekly. That time together has built trust. Diamond knows she can trust me with anything, and she can always speak freely with no filter!” said Big Sister Dru.
Since being matched, they have both had special memories that will last a lifetime. For Diamond, it was the time they went fishing together and for Dru it was last year’s Halloween’ Trunk or Treat’ event, held at the BBBSLI Islandia office. Diamond is very creative, and they enjoy doing arts and crafts together. They put a lot of time and thought into what theme they were going to go with. They chose ‘Day of the Dead’. “We sat in my Jeep for hours before the event, listening to her playlist du jour, and making the decorations by hand for the trunk. It came out great. Yadda yadda yadda, we won the contest. The smile on her face could not have been any bigger!” said Big Sister Dru.
Diamond shared how having Dru as a Big Sister has helped her and has changed her life for the better. “Dru makes me feel better about myself. She has helped me navigate challenges in my life by helping me lift my self-esteem and navigate my relationships,” said Diamond.
Dru was asked what advice she would share with someone who is considering becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister. Dru responded, “What reason could you possibly have NOT to become a big?!?!! At this point, I can’t remember life before becoming a Big Sister with BBBSLI. I love this organization and everything it stands for. The experience has been so rewarding! I enjoy every second I get to hang with Diamond.She is a firecracker, so funny, quick-witted, and always keeps me on my toes. Regardless of what we do, every hangout is an adventure!”
We also asked Dru if there were any positive surprises she was not expecting when becoming a big. “A positive surprise that I was not expecting was such a close bond that I have developed with her family. When I pick her up and drop her off, I am greeted with lots of hugs!” Dru responded.
“I am thankful for my Big Sister because, without her, I would not know how to love myself,” said Diamond. She appreciates Dru’s sense of humor, how much she cares about her and how intuitive she is. Diamond has learned a lot of life lessons from Dru within the past 2.5 years.
Dru has taught her to treat everyone with kindness, and that beauty is within the eye of the beholder. Not only has Diamond learned a lot from Dru, but Dru has learned a lot from Diamond. “She has taught me resilience. She is the strongest, most resilient kid I know,” said Dru.
We asked Little Sister Diamond if she would want to be a Big Sister one day, and she said, “Totally. I want to help another kid love themselves so that they never settle for less than what they deserve.”
