A Boston Globe reporter who became a mentor to a pair of disadvantaged brothers he had written about tweeted a heartwarming story about their unlikely bond.

"I'm going to tell you a story," Billy Baker, the reporter, wrote on Twitter. "Two years ago, I was standing in Dorchester, in a rough neighborhood, and I saw the #19 bus drive by."

Baker had been working on a series about the bus — what he called "a symbol of hope for many from Boston" — and the people on it.

"At that moment, I was looking for hope," Baker recalled. "I had seen some rough things. A lot of people who saw no end to their struggle."

That's when he met Emmett Folgert, the head of a local youth center, who told Baker he had the "perfect kids," a pair of local high school students, for his piece.







So one day, I went to Emmett's office and met the kids, two brothers named Johnny and George Huynh. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

They were quiet. They didn't quite know what was going on. But Emmett told them that their story was important. They agreed to share it. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

I spent weeks with Johnny and George. I went to school with them. I went home with them. I ate dinners with them. Slowly, they opened up — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

Shortly before I met the boys, their father had taken his own life. He jumped off the Tobin Bridge in Boston. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

That left them alone with their mother. She didn't speak English. They didn't speak much Vietnamese. They were alone in their own house. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

Their mother had a mental disability, so they raised themselves, and they did it right. They got themselves up, got to school, and got A's. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

Watching these kids make good from almost nothing was the most special thing I've ever seen as a journalist. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

The opportunity to share their story was a great privilege. And it got a huge response. Huge. I wasn't the only ones touched by them. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

Here's a link to the article I wrote: http://t.co/mMwheRtTyi. And here's a link to the video @laurenfrohne made: http://t.co/lc9XQIfvMf — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

They were worried about having money to buy the paper, so the night before, I took them to the Globe and let them pull it off the press. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013



After the story ran, Baker remained close and became "something of a mentor" to the pair, helping pay for school supplies, Christmas gifts and prom tickets.









Story continues

I stayed close to the boys, partly out of an obligation, but mostly because I cared about them. They inspired me. And they were fun. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

But I also became something of a mentor to them. Freed from my constraints as a journalist, I could step into their lives and help. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

They had little cracks to fill, crazy things I never had to think of. I paid for prom tickets and Christmas gifts and dinners. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

They paid me back in so many ways, mostly by just keeping their head down and doing their work, like they had always done. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

I drove Johnny to college and bought him a dorm fridge. These are the cracks I'm talking about. George came along for the ride. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

As college time rolled around for George, I became involved. I helped him with his essays. Did the sort of stuff a parent would do. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

And George was shooting high. Very high. His grades were outstanding. His story was compelling. He wanted to go all the way to the top. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

Which brings us to today. Today is a very special day for George. A day he's worked his whole life to get to. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

We've been trading texts all day. We were both nervous. He had applied for early acceptance to his dream school. At 5 p.m., he would hear. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

As 5 rolled around, I started pacing around the Globe. I went to get coffee. I bit my fingernails. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

I told him that no matter what happens, he had done all he could. And we'd go to dinner regardless. Either way, we had to celebrate. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

Shortly after 5, he texted me: I GOT IN. I was sitting at my desk, and I started crying. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

These boys are the nearest I've ever come to that thing we call The American Dream. But this was too much. George got into Yale. — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 16, 2013

YALE — George Huynh (@InspirAsian9) December 16, 2013



Later, Baker tweeted a photo of George at dinner.









Say hi to George, everyone. "Smile if you just got accepted to Yale!" pic.twitter.com/ZhKAGirkhk — Billy Baker (@billy_baker) December 17, 2013