Eventually, he was a vice president at Midwood Securities, executing trades for clients on the Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange and making six figures.

FORBES: Life After Wall Street

"He's an exceptional boy, he really likes learning, " said the Midwood resident.

WSJ: Conflicted Over Gifted: NYC's Gifted and Talented Test Changes

In Prospect Heights or Midwood there is no equivalent of the boardwalk, surfing or the community spirit that somehow is both laid-back yet tough-as-nails.

WSJ: Reshaping Shore Homes

We made our way to a historic block in Midwood, Brooklyn, where I met up with a car collector, who happens to own a 1952 Bentley R-Type.

FORBES: A Day in Life of a Bentley Mulsanne

"We've made tremendous progress, but we still have a long, uphill way to go, " said state Assemblyman Dov Hikind, an Orthodox Jew who represents Brooklyn's Borough Park and Midwood areas.

WSJ: A Brush With Justice Turns Sect Inward