Success Stories
From Troubled Neighborhoods to the U.S. Marines:
A Boys Town Miracle for Four Brothers
A Second Chance for Four Brothers
When Jorge escaped the gang violence of his Las Vegas neighborhood to the peaceful village of Boys Town, Nebraska, he was grateful to have his “second chance.” That gratitude was quickly multiplied as he encouraged his younger brother Enrique to join him there and break the cycle of gang activity and neglect in their home. Blessings multiplied again as Enrique was instrumental in Frankie, his next youngest brother, coming to Boys Town. Frankie later carried his Boys Town teachings home to the last brother Gabriel. All four brothers went on to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Learn how Boys Town saved these four boys and, in doing so, created the foundations for the next generation of children.
Watch the Mazon Brothers' Story
Jorge: Hi. Here we are, where it all started.
You know gangsters would come here all the time looking for me. I remember one day my dad was in Mexico and my mom was asleep, I was asleep. And I think about 50-60 gangsters came looking for me.
If I hadn't gone to Boys Town, I'd probably be in prison or probably be dead.
I remember I came home and it was almost like Enrique was in the situation that I was in prior going to Boys Town, just at home, taking care of Frankie by himself, being at home for six, seven hours by himself at a time, limited food, growing up, you know in the same neighborhood that I grew up in. So, I looked at him and I said, "Hey, you know what? You're going to Boys Town.
John: We certainly know, we understand that removing kids and having kids away from their biological families isn't necessarily the best thing or what we always want to see but sometimes it is necessary for them to have a better outcome. This is a tremendous example of what that has done for this family in particular. Knowing that he was the oldest and he had three younger brothers coming up right behind him, if something drastic wasn't done at the time, it could've been a very very different outcome.
Jorge: And I truly believe that Boys Town was really the foundation that helped me get to where I am today, not only as a man, as a professional, but also as a father and a husband.
Enrique: So now, I work for the Department of Agriculture and the Foreign Agricultural Service. And we're actually getting ready to go to Tokyo, Japan on my first assignment and we're really excited about that.
Francisco: If I wouldn't have landed in Boys Town, [00:17:00:08] I'm affirmed that not only just myself, I think myself and my older brother would have been either in jail or dead.
John: Between the four of you, all four Marines, three police officers and, you know, another who is working for the US government. I mean, that's an incredible accomplishment for a family from Arthur, you know, just right down the road here, to see where you guys have come from that.
Frankie: You know, so when the three of us showed up to Boys Town it was like, "Oh, I get to be a kid again. I get to enjoy sports and have those family traditions every night at the dinner table." You know, saying a prayer and asking everyone at the table, "How was your day?" Just that simple little part of life that we didn't have, you know, as growing up as brothers in this neighborhood. So, that's the perspective Boys Town put into our lives, and those small little itty bitty details, you know, is why we've been able to continue moving forward and to pay it forward to our children now. You know, Jorge's daughter, Enrique's kids and my son. You know, Gabriel here down the road, if he starts his own family he's gonna have those foundational skills, you know, that Boys Town ingrained in us.
Patio Jorge: going back to the house on Arthur, it's like a love hate relationship. That's where I grew up at, but that house is just full of demons, you know? And so I actually wanted to be here and when I walked into 141 Maher, oh man, it was like, hey, welcome to your second chance.
