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June 29, 2020
We are saddened to hear of the loss of Big Brother, Tyler Gerth. When Tyler applied to become a Big Brother, he told us that he was inspired by his father’s many years as a Big Brother in our program.
Tyler was an avid photographer and had strong feelings about racial justice. He put his passion into action by mentoring. Tyler had been a Big Brother just under a year to a Little Brother who is 13 years old. Our staff is providing professional support to Tyler’s Little Brother, as he deals with the loss of an extended family member.
According to the Little Brother’s mom, Tyler was the “perfect match” for her son. His Little Brother described Tyler as “great” because “we have fun together." For having been matched less than a year, Tyler and his Little did a lot: working out at the Y, playing basketball, going out to eat, attending U of L football games, and even joining Tyler’s father, Chuck, at a Cincinnati Bengals game. Tyler also regularly attended his Little Brother’s football games. We saw Tyler’s positive impact on his Little Brother’s life through his Little’s good grades and overall excitement about their fun outings.
Bigs in our program open up a world of potential to their Littles. One way Tyler did this was by bringing his Little Brother to his job at Papa John’s - Headquarters. His Little Brother found that to be a very special moment, because he knew how proud Tyler was to work there. It was also a bonus, because his Little Brother wanted us to know that Papa John’s is his favorite pizza.
There will be many moments to reflect on the incredible impact Tyler had on our community. We are so grateful to have had Tyler as an ally, advocate, friend, and Big Brother. On behalf of the entire Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana family, we send our condolences to the Gerth Family, his Little Brother’s family, and our entire community on the tremendous loss of a passionate change agent.
We are saddened to hear of the loss of Big Brother, Tyler Gerth. When Tyler applied to become a Big Brother, he told us that he was inspired by his father’s many years as a Big Brother in our program.
Tyler was an avid photographer and had strong feelings about racial justice. He put his passion into action by mentoring. Tyler had been a Big Brother just under a year to a Little Brother who is 13 years old. Our staff is providing professional support to Tyler’s Little Brother, as he deals with the loss of an extended family member.
According to the Little Brother’s mom, Tyler was the “perfect match” for her son. His Little Brother described Tyler as “great” because “we have fun together." For having been matched less than a year, Tyler and his Little did a lot: working out at the Y, playing basketball, going out to eat, attending U of L football games, and even joining Tyler’s father, Chuck, at a Cincinnati Bengals game. Tyler also regularly attended his Little Brother’s football games. We saw Tyler’s positive impact on his Little Brother’s life through his Little’s good grades and overall excitement about their fun outings.
Bigs in our program open up a world of potential to their Littles. One way Tyler did this was by bringing his Little Brother to his job at Papa John’s - Headquarters. His Little Brother found that to be a very special moment, because he knew how proud Tyler was to work there. It was also a bonus, because his Little Brother wanted us to know that Papa John’s is his favorite pizza.
There will be many moments to reflect on the incredible impact Tyler had on our community. We are so grateful to have had Tyler as an ally, advocate, friend, and Big Brother. On behalf of the entire Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana family, we send our condolences to the Gerth Family, his Little Brother’s family, and our entire community on the tremendous loss of a passionate change agent.
What should I tell my Little about police brutality, protests, and/or race relations?
First, assess how your Little is feeling and reacting to events in the area. Your Little may just be focused on playing basketball or otherwise distracted and seem uninterested or averse to talking about recent racial events. That is okay. This could be their version of self-care. Do not feel the need to force the issue. They may not be ready to talk.
If your Little has asked you details about what has happened or about your view of the protests or BLM, be sure to talk to their parent/guardian first. You don’t want to undo any conversation that their guardian has already had with them in regards to keeping them safe. Be sure their parent/guardian is comfortable with you talking to their child about these events, and know that you are both on the same page in regards to information shared. Be cognizant that there may be some details that the Little’s parent/guardian would prefer their child not know, especially due to their age or due to the graphic nature of some details. Please respect these boundaries. For guidance on starting this conversation with a parent/guardian, please reach out to your Match Support Specialist, as this can be a challenging conversation to know how to navigate as well.
Once talking with a guardian, if you are feeling prepared to initiate these conversations with your Little, be sure to ask open-ended questions. Questions such as “How are you doing with everything going on?” or “How are you feeling lately?” are great conversation starters to help give an idea of how your Little is feeling and what is on their mind. If YOU are not feeling prepared to have these conversations with your Little, that is okay. We do not expect you to force this conversation for yourself either.
Remember: there are no right answers. This is a challenging time for our community and our nation as a whole. It is okay to say, “I don’t know. I’m learning with you.” If you are ever encountered with a question that you don’t know how to answer, it is okay to tell your Little, “that’s a great question. I’m not really sure how to answer that. Let me write that down and see if I can find an answer for you.”
And as always, your Match Support Specialist is always available to support you and help you through difficult conversations. Please reach out for additional support.
What should I tell my Little about police brutality, protests, and/or race relations?
First, assess how your Little is feeling and reacting to events in the area. Your Little may just be focused on playing basketball or otherwise distracted and seem uninterested or averse to talking about recent racial events. That is okay. This could be their version of self-care. Do not feel the need to force the issue. They may not be ready to talk.
If your Little has asked you details about what has happened or about your view of the protests or BLM, be sure to talk to their parent/guardian first. You don’t want to undo any conversation that their guardian has already had with them in regards to keeping them safe. Be sure their parent/guardian is comfortable with you talking to their child about these events, and know that you are both on the same page in regards to information shared. Be cognizant that there may be some details that the Little’s parent/guardian would prefer their child not know, especially due to their age or due to the graphic nature of some details. Please respect these boundaries. For guidance on starting this conversation with a parent/guardian, please reach out to your Match Support Specialist, as this can be a challenging conversation to know how to navigate as well.
Once talking with a guardian, if you are feeling prepared to initiate these conversations with your Little, be sure to ask open-ended questions. Questions such as “How are you doing with everything going on?” or “How are you feeling lately?” are great conversation starters to help give an idea of how your Little is feeling and what is on their mind. If YOU are not feeling prepared to have these conversations with your Little, that is okay. We do not expect you to force this conversation for yourself either.
Remember: there are no right answers. This is a challenging time for our community and our nation as a whole. It is okay to say, “I don’t know. I’m learning with you.” If you are ever encountered with a question that you don’t know how to answer, it is okay to tell your Little, “that’s a great question. I’m not really sure how to answer that. Let me write that down and see if I can find an answer for you.”
And as always, your Match Support Specialist is always available to support you and help you through difficult conversations. Please reach out for additional support.
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