Tony Melendez - whatever you do give your best

It was an unforgettable moment when, on September 15, 1987, he played his guitar for Pope John Paul II in Los Angeles. Born without arms, he performed a touching song entitled Never Be The Same. When the Pope approached him from the stage to kiss him in appreciation, it seemed to reflect the sentiments of the entire country.




Never Be the Same was an appropriate song, for those few moments changed Tony Melendez' life and brought his unrestrained abilities as a guitarist into national attention. It seems to be a fitting place for a man who has spent his life putting personal confidence above his handicap.

A "thalidomide baby," Tony was born without arms because his mother was prescribed thalidomide a drug used to help calm morning sickness during her pregnancy. He was brought to the Los Angeles area from Nicaragua to be fitted with artificial arms. He wore them until he was ten, when he disposed of them. "I didn't feel comfortable," he explains, "I could use my feet so much more."

His proficiency with his feet extended to more areas than just day-to-day care. He remembers that "at first, I started playing push-button organ. Then in high school I began playing around with the guitar and harmonica." He also began writing his own songs. Whether it was "playing around" with music or merely adjusting to a normal high school routine, Tony never let his handicap get in his way. "I was pretty secure in what I could do," he says.

It was also in high school that he became deeply involved in the Catholic Church. "I went when I was a kid because my parents took me. I drifted away as I got a little older. When I was in high school, my brother kept saying 'come on, you've gotta go. It's great!' So I went again and made a lot of friends, and wound up changing my life in the process.

During this time, he considered becoming a priest but couldn't, because priests were required to have an index finger and thumb. The news disappointed him but he persevered in his church activities, using his talents as a guitarist and composer for masses and church related events. Demand for him increased to the point where he was directing and singing in music groups at up to five masses on a given Sunday. It caught people's attention, including someone with the group organizing activities for the monumental visit of Pope John Paul II in 1987.

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[ThePaladinette]

OMG every 99er who says "I can't" MUST SEE THIS all the way through!! What a gift from God this man is!!!!!!

[verardi1512]

isto que liçao de vida com muita emoçao tony voce e um iluminado que deus de muitos anos de saude ;paz te deseijo tudo de bom amigo

[kimnaber]

so god does excist....

[OnTheRun167]

He played guitar at my school!! This was like 1989, but I'll never, EVER forget it!

[76lios]

muy bonito video, y penzar que hay tanta gente que aun se queja, yo solia ser uno de ellos gracias a Dios por permitirme ver todas las vendiciones en mi vida que dios te vendiga Tony!!!

[bestieverhad112]

thank you for this video.

muchas gracias al Senor<3.

que bonito es la vida.

=0D

[ivanetelilja]

Congratulations to him by force of will and the great artist that is. kisses

Thank you for submitting Gonçalves

[apenasumapoeta]

thanks goncalves

[goncalves67]

What a wonderful person he is.

He's lovely and is a force of nature.

I just simply love it.

Thaks

[dagdevushka]

WOW without arms hes still optimistic...