By Abigail Aguilar –
Upon transferring to a new school, Antonio Pellot planned to buy a gun and sell drugs. His new school is a Christian institution.
“I was so broken and angry,” he said. “I felt that I had no soul.”
Thankfully, Tony didn’t carry out his plan. Instead, he got saved by Jesus. He is now about to graduate. He wants to work construction and help needy kids.
His parents divorced. His mom was using drugs. His grandma sold the house; his mom and he had nowhere to go. His great grandma died; she was his angel. Then Tony’s dogs died; they were his comfort, like siblings.
Tony lost all hope. At school in Burbank, he got into trouble continuously. He acted up. He didn’t care. He was struggling with drugs, depression, anger, and overall, his mental health.
Over the summer, he thought about what he would do the next year. He would buy a gun, join a gang and become a trafficker. He expected to die before he turned 21.
Then his sister got saved at a new job in Santa Monica. She started attending church and invited Tony. He didn’t want to go, but when he did go, he was surprised to see so many happy people. Why were they so evidently joyful? Tony wondered.
His sister, and her boss, Jimmy Papik, worked to enroll Tony in the Lighthouse Christian Academy. For a full scholarship, Tony had to do some cleaning and be on the football team.
Tony had no intentions to prosper in life. Pastor Jim invited him to surf camp. He started getting to know the church community.
That’s when his mindset switched. Looking at the people, Tony was inspired and happy to change his life for the better. First thing, he felt the need to stop cussing.
“I had no filter,” he says. “When I got to Lighthouse, I had to make a filter that was not me.”
It took some adjustment. He felt strange being in an environment free from drugs, violence and bullying. People kept encouraging him that he could make a difference, be something and have fun in life.
Eventually, Tony came to a simple but profound realization: “There is still a chance for me in life.”
Joining the football team was significant. Immediately, he was accepted as one of the brothers locked in fierce battles against bigger teams.
“I became a popular kid because of the football boys,” Tony said. “So, it made me look popular.”
After that. he gave it all to God and became a better person for good.
“I just took off with God like a roller coaster,” Tony said. “I just kept on going up.”
If you want to know more about a personal relationship with God, go here
About this writer: Abigail Aguilar is learning journalism at the Lighthouse Christian Academy in Santa Monica. She and Tony are boyfriend/girlfriend. Read Tony’s article about Russell Brand. Here is Abby’s article about revival in American colleges, missionary explorers in Brazil, Christianity spreading in Indonesia.
