KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Doing crafts virtually isn't how Sam and Zada pictured their first year together as sisters.
"I anticipated being able to spend time with this little human and do all of these awesome things," Sam said.
But they decided to make the most of it when the pandemic forced much of the country to shut down just weeks after they were matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee.
"We've been doing things like Origami and baking, and baking is probably the funniest thing to do over Zoom that I've ever done," Sam laughed. "We forget ingredients or one of us will freeze while we're mixing something, and we'll stand there like what's going on?"
While technology sometimes gets in the way Zada, 12, has found comfort in their friendship.
"She's always happy, and she loves animals like me and she's creative," Zada said. "It's very nice, so lonely because you can't go to a friend's house or go places like we used to."
"We don't really talk about the pandemic. We don't really talk about the stress, and that's kind of a relief for me just to talk with her and see how she's doing and see how life is going," Sam said.
Until life gets back to normal they will continue doing all their favorite things online, helping each other navigate the uncertainty.
"You can still help a child grow into a really awesome human even with the barriers of technology, and you can still be safe," Sam said.
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Click here to become a mentor or volunteer a couple hours of your time.