Brad Herman, a freshman at Purdue, first met Shawn Rector at a beginning of the year social for Best Buddies Purdue. They really hit it off, and a friendship started to blossom. Brad and Shawn were officially matched at the Match Party a few weeks later. Brad has been deeply impacted by having Shawn in his life. He says:
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| Brad and Shawn hanging out at a Best Buddies event. |
“Having the opportunity to meet Shawn at the Best Buddies meeting this year has been one of the brightest moments for me. We were able to talk about our faith, life, and other interesting things about us. We have similar stories growing up, both being in a fatherless home. I believe being able to relate to each other in this area has made our friendship stronger. He and I are able to talk about anything. To me, I believe open communication and loyalty are the two most important things in any relationship. We try and talk daily to see how everything is going. I had the privilege of attending the Halloween dance for Best Buddies of Purdue this year with Shawn. We all danced, sang, and played corn hole. It was a great night. Also, Shawn and I met up at one of the local restaurants on campus to get something to drink/eat and connect with other people involved with Best Buddies. I look forward to continuing our friendship, knowing many great things are planned ahead. I hope to become a great leader in his life, as much as he has become one in mine.”
