KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Thirteen years ago a man in a military uniform walked into K'Vaughn Tyson's kindergarten class and changed his life forever.
"I thought he was just going to speak to us, and then they pulled me out of the classroom and we just hit it off," said K'Vaughn.
Raised by a single mother, K'Vaughn and Chris bonded instantly.
"Every time Chris came to the school, we read a book," said Chris. "We went to some Predators games, some baseball games. He's not really my big brother, he's like my father. My dad's not always been in my life so Chris has played a big role in teaching me how to be a man and how to be respectful," he said.
The two share a love of sports, especially football.
Chris is one of K'Vaughn's biggest fans.
"I don't think he's missed a state championship game in my four years of being there," said K'Vaughn. "He's always been there checking up on me, calling me, going out to eat, just having men conversation."
Nearly 100 children across East Tennessee are waiting to be matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee, but there are not enough mentors.
The organization is giving K'Vaughn a scholarship after he wrote about his relationship with Chris.
"I still probably have never felt so loved in my life," said K'Vaughn as he read his application letter.
As K'Vaughn graduates from high school, he is still deciding on a career path after college, but he already knows he wants to make a difference.
"I eventually want to be a big, to impact someone's life like Chris has impacted mine," he said. "Chris is like my father and my best friend."
Click here to become a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee.
