Meet the Big Families Match: Myquez and the Dougals

Myquez (Quez) is a 12-year-old Little with not just one Big- not just two Bigs- but an entire family that has banded together through BBBS’ Big Families program to be a part of his life. In this program, one Little is mentored by an entire family who work together to empower the promise and potential of the Little.

But to Quez and the Dougal family, it’s so much more than the typical mentor/mentee relationship. In fact, Eric Dougal, Big Brother and Benefit Dinner Committee member, explains, “Being matched with Quez helps make our family feel complete.”

A BIG SURPRISE

When Quez’s mom, Destiny, enrolled him in the program, they anticipated he would be matched with a Big Brother. After nearly a year of waiting, the BBBS team connected Quez with the Dougal family in November 2018: a long-anticipated surprise that grew into an amazing friendship.

“I’ve got a Big Family!” Quez shares excitedly. “I thought I was going to have one Big Brother, but now I also have three Little Brothers.”

WHY A BIG FAMILY?

Eric and Kelly, high school sweethearts, felt that being a Big Family was the ideal way to mentor because they could include their Little in their normal, everyday activities with their sons. “Being in the program encouraged us to spend even more time together as a family,” Eric explains.

EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES AS MENTORSHIP

“Sometimes we go fun places, and sometimes we just hang out at their house,” Quez shares. Eric offers, “Some of the best times we’ve had together have just been us hanging out at the house, eating pizza, and building LEGO sets.”

From playing basketball together to spending time at the Air Zoo, Eric, Kelly, and their three boys love having Quez in their family. Often, the whole Dougal family can be found on the sidelines of Quez’s football games, cheering him on alongside Destiny. “Our boys absolutely love him and always look forward to seeing him,” Kelly explains.

BE A BIG!

When asked to share some encouragement to anyone considering becoming a Big, Eric shares, “What are you waiting for? There are tons of awesome kids like Quez waiting. They’re going to learn a lot of things from you, but you’re also going to learn a lot from them. It’s so much fun!”

LEARN MORE

You can learn more about Big Families and all of BBBS’s mentoring opportunities on our website at ThinkBigToday.org/volunteer