Growing up in small town Minnesota, Bob Spetlz and his siblings had a pretty typical childhood. That is, until their father, Art, was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease, or PKD. This serious genetic disorder is rare for someone as young as Art, who was in his mid-30s.
After receiving a kidney transplant that should’ve saved his life, Art contracted a staph infection and spent months in the hospital. This was difficult for Bob and his family, especially since the hospital was 200 miles from their home.
Art passed at the age of 35, leaving his wife, Sheila, a single parent with four kids under the age of 12. The family was experiencing incredible grief and loss, in addition to the difficulties of daily life with one caregiver.
It became clear to Sheila that she couldn’t raise her kids on her own. She reached out to Big Brothers Big Sisters for help.
Bob, who was 11 at the time, remembers being shy, polite, and cautious. He was matched with a Big Brother named Fred, a teacher who collected and restored vintage cars. Fred was patient, polite, kind, and a good listener.
Fred was able to take Bob away from the harsh reality of life for a few hours each month. Together, the two loved to cruise around in one of Fred’s 12 cars, go to Dairy Queen, and play in the park.
“He was a stable, generous, and caring adult presence during the worst time in my life,” Bob recalls. “He couldn’t take away my sadness or loneliness, but what he could do was make me feel seen, heard, and valued.”
While Fred was only matched with Bob for two years, he’s had a lasting impact on his life. In adulthood, Bob became a mentor himself and dedicates much of his time to serving on nonprofit boards. His career has been in corporate community engagement, helping companies and their employees give back to their communities in the way that Fred did.
Currently, Bob is the senior director of Community and Public Relations for Standard Insurance Company. He is responsible for all aspects of corporate community involvement, including The Standard’s corporate giving program, the Standard Charitable Foundation, employee volunteerism, environmental sustainability, and public and media relations.
Bob serves on the board of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Portland Art Museum. He co-chairs the capital campaign for the Dougy Center. He is a former board member and chair of Literary Arts, the Oregon Cultural Trust, and Our House of Portland. He’s previously served on the boards of Grantmakers of Oregon and SW Washington, Philanthropy Northwest, and the Equity Foundation.
Bob is one of hundreds of thousands of successful Alumni Littles around the country. He’s a shining example of a Little Brother who has gone on to not only reach his potential, but also to give back to his community in a myriad of ways.
This isn’t a unique circumstance. Mentorship through Big Brothers Big Sisters has been proven to result in higher high school graduation rates, higher lifetime earnings, and enhanced economic mobility.
Bob always had potential in him. His Big Brother Fred helped ignite that potential during a time when the future was difficult to imagine.
If you’re interested in making a difference in the life of a child in your community, learn more about becoming a Big.
