Reporter tweets heartwarming story about at-risk teen he mentored
A Boston Globe reporter who became a mentor to a pair of disadvantaged brothers he had written about tweeted a heartwarming story about their unlikely bond.
"I'm going to tell you a story," Billy Baker, the reporter, wrote on Twitter. "Two years ago, I was standing in Dorchester, in a rough neighborhood, and I saw the #19 bus drive by."
Baker had been working on a series about the bus — what he called "a symbol of hope for many from Boston" — and the people on it.
"At that moment, I was looking for hope," Baker recalled. "I had seen some rough things. A lot of people who saw no end to their struggle."
That's when he met Emmett Folgert, the head of a local youth center, who told Baker he had the "perfect kids," a pair of local high school students, for his piece.
So one day, I went to Emmett's office and met the kids, two brothers named Johnny and George Huynh.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
They were quiet. They didn't quite know what was going on. But Emmett told them that their story was important. They agreed to share it.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
I spent weeks with Johnny and George. I went to school with them. I went home with them. I ate dinners with them. Slowly, they opened up
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
Shortly before I met the boys, their father had taken his own life. He jumped off the Tobin Bridge in Boston.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
That left them alone with their mother. She didn't speak English. They didn't speak much Vietnamese. They were alone in their own house.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
Their mother had a mental disability, so they raised themselves, and they did it right. They got themselves up, got to school, and got A's.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
Watching these kids make good from almost nothing was the most special thing I've ever seen as a journalist.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
The opportunity to share their story was a great privilege. And it got a huge response. Huge. I wasn't the only ones touched by them.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
Here's a link to the article I wrote: http://t.co/mMwheRtTyi. And here's a link to the video @laurenfrohne made: http://t.co/lc9XQIfvMf
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
They were worried about having money to buy the paper, so the night before, I took them to the Globe and let them pull it off the press.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
After the story ran, Baker remained close and became "something of a mentor" to the pair, helping pay for school supplies, Christmas gifts and prom tickets.
I stayed close to the boys, partly out of an obligation, but mostly because I cared about them. They inspired me. And they were fun.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
But I also became something of a mentor to them. Freed from my constraints as a journalist, I could step into their lives and help.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
They had little cracks to fill, crazy things I never had to think of. I paid for prom tickets and Christmas gifts and dinners.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
They paid me back in so many ways, mostly by just keeping their head down and doing their work, like they had always done.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
I drove Johnny to college and bought him a dorm fridge. These are the cracks I'm talking about. George came along for the ride.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
As college time rolled around for George, I became involved. I helped him with his essays. Did the sort of stuff a parent would do.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
And George was shooting high. Very high. His grades were outstanding. His story was compelling. He wanted to go all the way to the top.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
Which brings us to today. Today is a very special day for George. A day he's worked his whole life to get to.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
We've been trading texts all day. We were both nervous. He had applied for early acceptance to his dream school. At 5 p.m., he would hear.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
As 5 rolled around, I started pacing around the Globe. I went to get coffee. I bit my fingernails.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
I told him that no matter what happens, he had done all he could. And we'd go to dinner regardless. Either way, we had to celebrate.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
Shortly after 5, he texted me: I GOT IN. I was sitting at my desk, and I started crying.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
These boys are the nearest I've ever come to that thing we call The American Dream. But this was too much. George got into Yale.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013
YALE
— George Huynh (@InspirAsian9) December 16, 2013
Later, Baker tweeted a photo of George at dinner.
Say hi to George, everyone. "Smile if you just got accepted to Yale!" pic.twitter.com/ZhKAGirkhk
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 17, 2013
I forgot to mention the other big thing that happened to George today: He got his braces off.
— Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 17, 2013
