Bryant Enlists News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Boy, bryant was like part of her family. >> he can come here any time and he was welcomed. >> reporter: her son knew him best. >> when we were younger, we used to go in the pool a lot. he was respectful. we would make sure he wouldn't break any rules in the house. >> reporter: there was nothing remarkable about bryant's early childhood. his teachers remember him as being a good student, quiet and shy. he loved baseball and swimming. on sunday, he was an altar boy. he was a devout catholic. when he was 14, it all came crashing down. bryant's world shattered by his father leaving his mother. his...

The infantry and after three weeks was discharged. bryant's family says he was discharged due to his asthma. >> he said it was too difficult on him. >> goot boot camp. >> yeah. too difficult, he said. >> reporter: bryant was 19, aimless, alienated from his parents. >> so the relationship between he and his family just crumbled. they shattered in pieces and he started a new life with his friends. bryant was drawn to alex's brother victor, an aspiring pro boxer and a new convert to islam. >> he asked what is the koran and my brother explained to him what it was and he handed him the koran? >> re...

His mother talked about it off camera with cnn terrorism analyst paul crookshank. >> there were tears and temper tantrums. bryant started quarrelling with his sister, being disrespectful toward his mother. he refuse to think accept his parents' separation. >> reporter: soon bryant left his mother's home. the boy was adrift. he stayed with the family a few weeks until he went to live with his father. it was about that time he made a new best friend. >> where did you meet him? >> i met him in high school. longwood high school. from there we just clicked like regular buddies. >> reporter: althoug...

He wanted to finish school and to go college. >> he sounds like a regular middle class kid. >> he is. just very dedicated. and he is focused. very focused. to me he is very goal oriented. >> reporter: bryant was 18 on september 11, 2001. 9/11. the terrorist act inspired one of bryant's friends to join the marines. another one joined the army. and two joined the coast guard. bryant wanted in too. what was he talking to you about what he wanted to do with his life. >> he said he wanted to go to the military. and just come out and live happy. >> and join the army. >> and join the army delve say w...

Target, but then it seemed they got lucky. that's when this man, a young american who grew up only 50 miles from here made his way to pakistan to offer his help. he is brian neil venus and this is how a quiet, studious middle-class kid suddenly transformed into a dangerous enemy of the state. >> brian is almost a post eer child for the process and unremarkable nature of the people who might go through this process and the danger that presents. >> reporter: i've spent the better part of a year here in the u.s. and in europe unraveling how and why brent went from catholic to muslim, from u.s. ar...