From Hanging with Gangs to saving of soul, Lyford Cay Foundation Assists Youth Against Violence by Macushla N. Pinder

CARLOS Reid had every opportunity to succeed - good parents, solid home, dreams of becoming a pilot. Why, then, when he was barely old enough to shave, did he turn his back on everything he knew and do an about-face that nearly cost him his life?

His is the kind of story that sends shivers up the spines of parents who think they are doing everything they can to bring up children with pride and values. It's also the kind of story that appealed to the charitable Lyford Cay Foundation. His is a tale of 'been there, done that and never want to see anyone make the same mistakes I did.'

A good student, Reid appeared to be typical growing up, a bit mischievous but generally sweet at the core. Somewhere between childhood and manhood, that mischievousness turned mean, the sweetness at the core snuffed out by a desire to rebel. By the time he was 11, Reid had abandoned his books, the Christian values and virtues instilled by his parents and his own dream of becoming a pilot. In their place, he substituted a new world -- the world of guns, alcohol, sex and drugs.

"I started to rebel against everything my parents taught me," Reid says. "Basically, I just lived for number one. I became a very selfish person, living only to get high. I was having too much fun to slow down."

Ignoring his parents' advice to "Stop doing foolishness," he had his own set of rules and made them up as he went along. As leader of the notorious gang, "The Magic City Assassinators," Reid's life became an open book on gang violence, drugs and sexual promiscuity. The once bible-toting little boy was now a rebel. without a cause.

"The effects of drugs were working on me," Reid admits. "I smoked pot and drank beer from early in the day then later switched to rum and cocaine on top of all that.

"After using Cocaine on a regular basis, I tried a number of other drugs: Quaaludes, Micro Dots, Paper Acid, Speed and others, and each time I tried something new I introduced it to my friends. I didn't even care about myself. Happiness only came when I got high, and life just went on that way."

Things grew worse. Highs turned to lows. Reid faced losing everything and everyone. He had hit bottom and he knew if he didn't try to find his way back up, it would be too late. He gave in, gave up and got help. After rescuing himself, Reid devoted the next two decades to rescuing others.

Today, life is wonderful for the 40-year-old devoted husband and father of three. An ordained minister at Bahamas Faith Ministries and author of two books, Reid spends much of his time as the president of Youth Against Violence (YAV), a mentoring project partially sponsored by the Lyford Cay Foundation Gifts and Grants Committee.

One of 21 approved charitable organizations awarded the Foundation's most recent donations, YAV has provided positive alternatives to thousands of delinquent youths in The Bahamas since 1994. It has been this commitment and support that inspired Gifts and Grants Committee chairman Paul Sandford to recommend generous grants to the organization including an additional amplifier for the program's public address system. The Foundation also purchased YAV's first amplifier along with two computers.

"We've been a huge supporter of Carlos Reid and YAV over the last few years because we really believe in the program, says Sandford.

"Backed by an incredible team of supporters, Youth Against Violence has made a difference in the lives of many troubled youths. And along with the assistance of others, we hope that this is an effort we can continue to support. "