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By Kathleen Carr ’96
“In 1982, on the steps of Grafton Street School,” recalls Paul Grisanti ’85, “I promised Josh that I’d always be there for him. He was 8. I was 19. What I didn’t know, at the time, was that he’d always be there for me, too.”
Grisanti is a history teacher at Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, Conn. His 31-year-old “little brother,” Josh Hebert, is a salesman, husband and father in Abbington, Mass. The two met when Grisanti volunteered with the College’s SPUD (Student Programs for Urban Development) group. Twenty-three years later, they are a testament to the power of friendship and mutual support.
While Grisanti credits SPUD with opening his eyes to a less privileged world, he credits his older brother, Chris ’83, with helping him set an example for Josh. And that example continues today. But now, it isn’t always Paul doling out the advice—it comes from Josh too. “He’s good at everything he does,” says Grisanti, “but the first place for Josh is as husband and father. And little brother of course. He shows me how it’s done.”
The two have traveled to Europe together. When Josh was 18, Paul flew him over to “celebrate an adult Josh.” Last year, they went back to Paris to spend Thanksgiving weekend together. For the past decade they have seen each other every month and talked weekly.
And yet, Grisanti doesn’t think he’s particularly unique. “Any big brother or sister has to be aware of his or her ability to shake the earth of their little brother or sister,” he says. “And they’ll do it without even trying. Just by being there. Those kids will never be the same. And they won’t take you for granted. When you make a commitment, the experience is unforgettable.”
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