Makai Dickerson could have gone either of two ways when cancer — which was already threatening to claim the life of his mother — did exactly that to his sister.

But instead of feeling sorry for himself and getting angry, Mr. Dickerson said no to sitting on the wall and began thinking about how he could improve the world around him.

Less than a decade later, the 28-year-old is one of the shining young lights of today's Progressive Labour Party — tipped for a big career in politics and already playing a major role on some of the committees making the party's most important decisions.

It's been a rapid rise: he joined the PLP shortly before the last General Election after being impressed with Premier Ewart Brown's appearance at a youth forum in the West End.

Since then, via a short spell on the youth wing, he's graduated to party organiser for the West, sits on the central committee and is one of a band of 20- and 30-somethings hoping to emerge as MPs over the next couple of years.

His attitude stems in part, he says, from watching his single mother struggle to raise a family — and his wish not to make her life any more difficult than it already was.

"My sister died and they pretty much told us from the beginning that my mother would die," Sandys-based Mr. Dickerson told The Royal Gazette.

"I could have taken the view that the world is against me and I can't fix that. I could have chosen to have a bad attitude. In a way it was difficult for me because, whereas most kids my age would do stuff, got up to mischief, it was constantly on my mind about my mother. "I didn't get into too much trouble because of that reason. Kids will be kids, but I wanted to be home with my mother."

Mr. Dickerson says his mother's continuing spirit remains an inspiration to him today.

He says a major turning point in his life came at a West End youth meeting in 2007, which he helped arrange to discuss the lack of opportunities for young people. Dr. Brown, still in his early days as leader of the Country, attended and revealed he was planning to bring in the Mirrors programme which would eventually become one of his proudest projects.

Mr. Dickerson, who admired the Premier's declaration of intent to tackle a problem close to his heart, joined the PLP at the next possible opportunity — but not before he'd signed up as a volunteer for Mirrors.

"I believe Mirrors gives all the people that take part in it a different way of thinking," he said.

"It gives them a way to let go of all the things that happened to them in the past, all the excuses they might make. I grew.

"My mother was a cancer survivor, she had her leg amputated before I was born. My sister passed away from cancer.

"When it came to luxuries we had a small house. I always shared a room with my brothers.

"Mirrors helped me to release all that. Even my sister. It brought up a lot of anger in myself. Dealing with the young people on the programme opened up my eyes, especially as far as the violence that young people get involved in.

"I never knew that young people like children went through the things they do on this Island, in terms of child abuse, sexually, physically and mentally, parents on drugs and things of that nature.

"A lot of them got the mentality that no one cares about them and so they don't care themselves. They don't respect because no one respects them. Mirrors shows them that's not completely true. We as volunteers give up our time to help them.

"It's amazing. Dr. Brown had tried to get that programme in for ten years before it got implemented."

Mr. Dickerson's support for the Premier is very unfashionable in some corners — none more so than Bermuda's online forums, where he's been dubbed a yes man.

"I get labelled as a blind follower, or one of Ewart Brown's lapdogs, if I mention something about Dr. Brown," he said.

"But I'm quite capable of deciding for myself what to believe. I don't take anything that anyone tells me lightly and I'm not one-sided. I like to get the bigger picture before me and determine for myself where to go.

"I'm committed to my party and I'm loyal to it. However, I'm more loyal and committed to Bermuda. I just wish Bermudians would get into the mentality when you go to the polls to vote for the right person, as much as you may want one particular party to win.

"That would put the onus on the parties to make sure they put the best candidates forward."

Whether PLP's Sandys South Central members decide Mr. Dickerson is the best candidate for them remains to be seen, but one thing's for certain: long-serving Constituency 34 MP Walter Lister better keep on his toes.