[00:00] — Losing His Father at 3
Sonny recounts hearing a loud thump at 2:30am and finding his father taking his last breath, with him and his 5-year-old sister watching.
[00:49] — Meet Sonny Lee, Founder of Son of a Saint
Jonathan introduces Sonny and Son of a Saint — mentoring young men in New Orleans growing up without fathers.
[03:27] — Therapy at Age 6
His mom put him in therapy at 6 to help process losing his dad — he credits it as the blueprint for the mental health work Son of a Saint does today.
[05:12] — Uncle, Coaches, and Friends’ Dads Stepped In
Uncle Warmoth as disciplinarian, plus friends’ fathers and baseball coaches became father figures and taught him what he couldn’t learn at home.
[07:01] — Expelled in 7th Grade
After being picked on and called names at Holy Cross, fights got him expelled in 2-3 months — a moment he ties directly to not having a dad to help navigate conflict.
[11:09] — From Zephyrs Intern to Saints Staff
A rec-league basketball game led to a Zephyrs internship, then 3 years with Saints ownership and Tom Benson — travel, trust, and learning how to be a man.
[17:13] — The News Story That Started Son of a Saint
Seeing a story of one fatherless boy murdering another — both without dads — he asked how to help kids play the cards they’re dealt before it’s too late.
[19:13] — First 5 Boys From the Park
Tapped a coach on the shoulder at the park for his first 5 boys, got free Saturday space at UNO through friend Ola to teach manners and how to treat women.
[20:06] — Lifelong Model, Not 1-Year Mentoring
Boys join at 10-12 and stay for life. Built wrap-around support — mental health, tutoring, transportation, food — not just a pairing for a year or two.
[23:22] — Case Team + 50 Activities a Month
Each boy gets a case manager, mental specialist, education coordinator, and mentor, plus 50+ monthly options — culinary, karate, STEM, music, sailing, football.
[24:51] — 700 Boys Served
300 core boys in full case teams, plus 400 more getting ~$5,000 in tuition help through a state-tax-to-tuition program
[25:53] — 100% Graduation Rate
100% high school graduation, with 80% going to college and 20% to workforce / military — the stat he’s most proud of.
[28:26] — What’s Next: Endowment + New Orleans East
Building an endowment to outlast them all, and a new Mid-City-style building in New Orleans East where 40% of their boys live.
In this powerful episode of Local Legends on From NOLA with the Forstalls, Jonathan Forstall sits down with Sonny Lee, founder of Son of a Saint, to discuss the life-changing experiences that shaped his mission to mentor young men growing up without fathers.
Sonny shares the heartbreaking story of witnessing his father’s death as a child, the challenges of growing up in a single-parent household, the mentors who helped guide him, and how those experiences ultimately inspired him to create one of New Orleans’ most impactful nonprofit organizations.
The conversation explores fatherhood, mentorship, community support, leadership, resilience, and the critical role positive role models play in a young person’s life. Sonny also reflects on his time working with the New Orleans Zephyrs, the New Orleans Saints organization, and the moment he realized he needed to create a solution for boys facing the same challenges he experienced growing up.
In this episode:
- Sonny Lee’s emotional story of losing his father at age 3
- Growing up without a father figure
- The importance of mentorship and community
- Lessons learned from sports, coaches, and role models
- The founding story behind Son of a Saint
- Why early intervention changes lives
- Leadership, purpose, and giving back to New Orleans
- How one idea became a nationally recognized nonprofit organization
If you care about mentorship, fatherhood, leadership, community impact, and inspiring stories of resilience, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
