Toby Burnside unexpectedly lost his dad to a heart attack on Memorial Day weekend in 2001. Two months later, Edgar Apodaca, then 8, couldn't stop crying for his father, who was shot and killed at a Kearns bar.

The strangers were matched up a year later as part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah, a nonprofit mentoring program. No one expected they'd be in each other's life six years later.

Not all little brothers and sisters are so lucky. Right now, about 225 Utah kids are waiting for a big brother or sister because of a shortage of volunteers.

The program's push last year to recruit refugee students and kids with a parent in prison has resulted in the need for more mentors, said Linda Schott, a BBBS spokeswoman.

The program serves 1,850 students ages 6 to 17. Of that number, about 80 percent are in low-income families. Almost 90 percent live with a single parent who works, Schott said.

BBBS matches up same-gender, "little-big" pairs. Its goal: Give youngsters a sense that a mentor values and cares about them. Some twosomes meet at the child's school; others meet off campus.

"We just think making a friend is going to make a difference in a child's life," Schott said.

For some "littles," it does.

Araceli Salais, Edgar's mom, heard about the program from a friend who suggested that a "big brother" might be what her son needed to help him heal.

Salais made and sold burritos and tamales out of her kitchen to support her three young kids. A Mexican immigrant who moved to Utah in 1993, she also cleaned houses.

"I could only give [Edgar] the little that I could," she said.

She decided to request a "big brother" for Edgar. And when she heard that Burnside also had lost his father, she thought they would be a good match.

Burnside, now 33, said he volunteered to be a "big" because he and his wife didn't have kids and were financially stable.

At first, Edgar was shy. Burnside came by the house a few times and later took Edgar to the movies and to his place to play video games. They met about once a week.

Over the past six years, hourlong visits have expanded. The two go camping, snowboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing and boating. Burnside treated Edgar to a vacation in San Diego in an attempt to get him to try surfing. And they take trips to Mount Pleasant in central Utah to visit Burnside's mom and relatives.

"I just try to open his eyes to different things," Burnside said.

Edgar, now 15, said he loves hanging out with his friend and mentor and can talk to him about anything - from girls to school. Edgar said he wants to go to college to be successful like Burnside, who works as an electronics engineer.

"I know he's there for me when I need something," he said.

Burnside, who recently divorced, said he really didn't realize BBBS would be such a valuable experience. He has learned about Edgar's Mexican culture and has seen Salais work hard to support her family.

"It keeps me grounded," Burnside said. "It makes me appreciate things more."

Although he and Salais can't communicate easily because of the Spanish-English barrier, they've become good friends, too.

Salais said Burnside has been a blessing in her son's life. She lives for the times Edgar comes home excited and talking about his latest visit.

"I'm very grateful for what he's done for my son," she said. "I know he wants the best for [Edgar]."

For the teen and his mentor, their brotherhood extends past the BBBS program.

"Honestly, it's added a family member," Burnside said. "Edgar will be part of my family forever."

jsanchez@sltrib.com

BBBS of Utah facts

* Started: 1978

* Budget: $1.1 million (mostly from foundations and private donations and some federal grants)

* Number of kids with mentors: 1,850

* Number of mentors: 1,625

* Number of kids waiting for mentors: 225 (About 70 percent of them are boys ages 7 to 12.)

Source: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah

How you can volunteer

To volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah a volunteer must be at least 18, undergo a background check, have auto insurance and agree to at least a yearlong commitment. For information, call 313-0303, or visit www.bbbsu.org.