Steve Harvey has rolled out the red carpet for some boys from North Texas and beyond who don't have a consistent father figure in their lives.
The comedian and Family Feud host is holding a four-day mentoring experience at his ranch in Little Elm and he's bringing in some of his Hollywood friends to help out.
Brennen Freeman, 17, of Fort Worth, grew up in a single mother household, like so many of his fellow campers. Most of the more than 100 boys in the program have never gone fishing with their dads. They say their fathers have been absent in their lives.
"I feel lost, like there's a part of me missing," said Freeman. "I wish I had a father in my life I could go to, talk about different personal things and really share my life with."
"A lot of these boys have never have a man tell them they love them before," said Harvey. "I promise you, I would not be in the position I'm in today if it wasn't for my dad."
Harvey wants to show them love and guidance, if even for just four days. He has brought in male role models from across the country, including Army and National Guardsmen and American Airlines pilots. The men are not only teaching the boys how to fish, fly, and golf, they're also helping them dream big and become successful men.
"Real men have jobs. Real men go to church. Real men respect women. Real men obey the law," said Harvey.
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For Hakim Elam, 18, of Culver City, Calif., who's recovering from a gunshot wound, the mentoring program has shown him how to be a father to his future children.
"It's really overwhelming. It's amazing to see all these great men to see how they're acting toward us," said Elam.
Harvey says other celebrities, including actor Denzel Washington, plan to mentor the boys this weekend.
