In an opinion piece published Oct. 13, 2026, Pastor Corey Brooks describes a conversation in which an 11-year-old told a mentor he missed his father and wondered why his dad did not like him. Brooks says the boy also expressed hope that his father was doing well.
Brooks argues that adults and community organizations should offer boys consistent guidance before they are exposed to violence or other risks. He says the center his organization built on Chicago’s South Side provides job training, classes, tutoring and violence-prevention programs.
Brooks reports that a bullet damaged a window at the new facility, which he says is the third broken window there. He says repairs will cost thousands of dollars and that the windows will be replaced. The source material does not identify who fired the shot or when the damage occurred.
The pastor presents the center as part of a broader effort to help young people develop responsibility and discipline. He says the boy’s situation has strengthened his commitment to mentoring, while acknowledging that community members cannot replace a child’s father.
The article is an opinion piece and its descriptions of the boy, the facility and the reported damage are attributed to Brooks; the supplied material provides no independent corroboration.
