I need some advice, Assumed a parenting role through unfortunate events.

Hey all, I just need some advice or guidance on what I should do. To make a long story short, after a nasty divorce and a lot of unfortunate circumstances, I have basically assumed a fathership role over my girlfriends little brother. She's 26, he was a late decision and is only 12, currently in 6th grade.After a nasty divorce, they (girlfriends mother and brother) got to keep the house whilst the father got to keep his 401k, stock options, bank accounts, etc.I have been helping fix the house in his absence and have become close to the mother and brother, and I really want to see him succeed. She's a foreign immigrant here as a legal citizen working full time at McDonald's for little more than pennies as the only source of income.I have been helping fix the house up and have grown a lot closer to the family because of it, and I want to marry my girlfriend, so the family tie is strong, as I don't have any other than my parents and sisters.The mother asked me to help make him a man, and to help with raising him, which I sort of have been helping with but haven't really seen it as serious as I think it is.I don't know where to start. I don't have any kids and don't know how to build the bonds a parent would with a child. I let him help me build a shed, do oil changes, work on plumbing, give advice about relationships (at least to the capacity a 6th grader), and try to smooth tensions between the removed father and family, but it's really hard and I don't know what to do.I'm a college student so I have a lot on my plate, plus I will be moving to a city 80 miles away in 6 months. I don't want to sit by and watch this kid fall victim to bullying or weakness or lack of guidance because I didn't know how to help him. He's not the strongest kid and he's become very feminine being only around his sister and mother.I really want to help him become a man, but without "being there" like his father could be (and should be) raising him, seeing him morning and night, showing him how adults can argue without violence, etc, I feel like I can't (or don't know) how I can help this kid to the best of my abilities.If anyone has been in a similar situation, has advice on long distance parenting, has been a child of divorce, or anyone who thinks they could chime in, I'd absolutely love to hear some ideas of how we could bond, and how I could help him become the man he deserves to be.This is my first Reddit post, so please be understanding.I really need some constructive input here, his life is on the line. via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/296FyXi