ATLANTA — The area around 2500 Center Street in northwest Atlanta is known for its glamorized gang life, violence and drug dealing.
Channel 2 Action News has done numerous stories on the area notoriously known as The Bluff.
It’s an area Brian Amey knows well. He grew up there and admits he was so caught up in that world, he was almost gunned down two years ago when he was just 15. %
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That was until Detective Alicia Turner with the Atlanta Police Department jumped in to mentor him after the two met at a Police Athletic League event.
But Turner didn’t stop there. She also took a special interest in Cordell Cade, who grew up in the same neighborhood.
Cade told Channel 2’s Nefertiti Jáquez he was always scared growing up because he was born into a family of gang members.
So Turner took it upon herself to take them out of the dangerous environment.
She managed to get them accepted into Boys Town, in Nebraska, a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for and schooling troubled kids, at no cost.
“They’re two amazing boys and I feel very lucky to have them in my life,” Turner said.
But Brian, who just graduated the program with a 3.75 GPA, and Cordell, who’s a junior and is a part of the National Honor Society, both say they are the ones who are lucky.
"She's loving, very supportive," Brian told Jáquez.
Cordell agreed.
"I love her and I love her a lot," he said.