Meet metro Atlanta's Big Brother and Big Sister of the year

ATLANTA - It takes a special person to decide to join Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor. Two very special people are being honored as the Big Brother and Big Sister of the Year for all of metro Atlanta.

Brandon Jackson and Sarah Lopez were both nominated by their little's families because of their commitment as mentors.

The decision to join Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor is not just deciding to give back, it's a decision that can change your mentee's life and your own.

"I really wanted to be the mentor that I needed when I was a child," Sarah Lopez said.

She signed up for the program three years ago when the organization came to her office looking for volunteers.

'When they came to the office, I realized this was the opportunity that I could give back to somebody that looked like me and was in a similar situation that I was. I immigrated from Venezuela when I was 3 years old," Lopez told Good Day's Lindsay Tuman.

She matched with her little sister Abrill just before the start of the pandemic. She was 11 years old at the time. Their first time meeting was over Zoom making cookies. Since then, they've gotten to spend a lot of time in person together, shopping, talking, and learning from each other.

"This is exactly what I wanted it to be. Our bond was almost instant and it's so strong and that is what I was hoping for," Lopez said.

Her main goal is to help Abrill get ready for college, and when the time comes, to navigate the college and scholarship process. It's something that was a big challenge for her personally.

"I am very thankful that she was so open and receptive to that mentorship. Sometimes I have to sprinkle it in a way where she doesn't realize that it's actually me mentoring," she said.

Brandon Jackson has that same kind of special bond with his little, Amir.

"I was matched with Amir when he was 6 years old. Of course, we've been matched for 11 years, so he's 17 now. It's been amazing to be matched for this long," Jackson said.

The same month Jackson matched with his little brother, Amir, he also welcomed his own newborn son.

"I stuck with it, and my son gained a big brother, and he gained a little brother," Jackson remarked.

The three would spend a lot of time together, whether that was an afternoon at the park, or cheering on the Falcons.

Now Amir is set to graduate from high school and go after his dream of being an EMT. His mother nominated Jackson for Big Brother of the Year, praising his mentorship and tutoring over the last decade.

"I found out that his mom sent a letter, I almost started crying. I tried my hardest to hold it in. But it was so emotional to read and it validated my reasons for becoming a big in the first place," he said.

Lopez and Jackson were both selected as Big Sister and Big Brother of the Year for metro Atlanta out of more than 1,300 mentors because of their commitment to their littles. It's a commitment both of them say isn't just until graduation, but one they'll have for the rest of their lives.

"It feels silly because this comes so natural in a way and I'm so thankful to do it and I don't feel like I'm doing anything other than hanging out with someone I enjoyed hanging out with," Lopez said.
"I think about it, but then again I don't, because I think we're going to be matched forever. Outside of Big Brothers Big Sisters, we've been matched together for so long I don't think that relationship is going anywhere." Jackson said.

Jackson and Lopez are now nominated for the National Big Brother and Big Sister of the Year.