He might not be a blood relative, but there can be no one prouder of Nathan Atcheson?s progress than his Big Brother Carl Shechtman.

The 59-year-old American hit it off with the youngster almost immediately ? once Nathan had got used to Carl?s facial hair.

Nathan had been primed by his mother before the crucial first meeting about his new weekend buddy but the introduction at the Waterlot still came as a shock.

?He introduced himself and I turned away and said to my mum ?You didn?t tell me he had a moustache?, being six years old, that was a big deal to me.?

Play time was also a big deal and that?s where Carl came in handy.

?He was someone who would let me do the things I enjoyed. An adult who would do fun things ? take me to play sports or play sports with me.?

Carl took him for meals and even to a baseball game in Atlanta where a tearful Nathan saw his heroes Atlanta Braves defeated 16-0.

Carl laughs: ?Nathan was so upset because they were top of the league but they got slaughtered.?

Mostly the pair got together every weekend much closer to home with Nathan cutting lose.

He said: ?I felt absolutely comfortable from the beginning. I knew Carl was genuinely concerned about me and really wanted to be that person in my life.?

For Carl, a former school teacher who had left America to play trumpet in Bermuda?s hotels, it was a great experience as he had no children of his own.

?It?s not that big of a commitment. People say they don?t have the time but it?s just a few hours a week.?

Nor has it been a big financial burden. ?You might go out to the movies or to eat.?

Best of all are the moments which didn?t cost a penny. The pair still fondly remember Nathan?s first fishing session, standing on the South Shore with bread ball bait. ?We caught all these pompano and came home and fried them up.?

Carl, although friendly, was no push over.

?I am a strict person ? I am also a dog trainer ? when you have a dog you have to be consistent if you want him to learn and be well behaved.

?I didn?t feel he is not my son, so I should not tell him this. I felt he needed boundaries. If we went out to eat I tried to teach him things to make him a better person. Sometimes he got upset and cried.?

Deep down Nathan knew Carl was right to take a stand when necessary.

During the teen years when Nathan got busier, Carl still stayed in touch and the relationship evolved from play buddy to mentor.

Until a few weeks ago Nathan wasn?t even sure if Carl knew how his Dad died although Carl knew all along ? from other sources.

Playtime is over now and Nathan is moving in a bigger world, inspired by the example Carl set.

He said: ?Carl took care of me when I didn?t have a father and I would like to do that for the African children because they have absolutely nothing.?

Carl said: ?It is amazing the way it has come full circle. His dad died of AIDS and now he is doing this work. I am really proud of him. He gets it from his mum ? a really good heart, having a passion to help people.?

Nathan?s mother Chris said: ?Carl has been a stabilising force in Nathan?s life. He might not see him as regularly as he used to, but Nathan knows in a crisis he could pick up a phone and Carl would be there.

?I think his consistency over the years has been incredible.?