My Testimony

"How I Came To Christ"...

It was Feb. 28, 1999 when the biggest mistake I’ve ever made became the situation that led me to my salvation. Prior to this date I had a career as a professional wrestler.

Life was good, my family was very supportive, I was given unbelievable opportunities to see the world and most of all to see this great country that we live in. I remember like it was yesterday how exciting it was just looking forward to the days ahead. It was about 6 months earlier that I was wrestling in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I sustained a devastating knee injury while wrestling on a local independent show against one of the local boys...

I had my opponent who weighed about 300 lbs hoisted over my shoulder as I was ready to throw him through the announcers table. All of a sudden I remember my foot sliding out from under me as this 300 lb wrestler came crashing down onto my leg from about 7 feet in the air. 

I then remember the excruciating pain that felt like a knife was lodged into my knee. At this time I started yelling to my opponent that I couldn’t continue the match, he then slid into the ring and I obviously was counted out and lost the match. The EMS workers at attendance took me out of the arena on a stretcher and into the ambulance we went.  I remember being in the emergency room and hearing the doctor discussing my injury with one of the ER nurses saying that I didn’t break anything but I had severely hyper extended my knee. This injury would take upwards of a year before I could wrestle again. 

After being home in Brooklyn for about 4 or 5 months still recovering from this injury I began hanging out at the local bowling alley just watching my brothers and my friends bowl on one of the leagues. At that time I was approached by a long time friend who was asking about my situation. I began telling him about all the stress I was under since I haven’t worked in months. I told him how I was so far behind on all my bills and that I was in jeopardy of eventually losing everything. I began to listen as he came up with an idea of doing an insurance scheme with my vehicle. I emphatically said no to this crazy, ridiculous idea. As a couple of weeks went by and him continuously approaching me, I finally listened. As my pride got in the way of me sticking to my original decision I gave in and took part of this bad, bad idea. I remember the morning of February 28^th 1999 like it was yesterday also. Waking up that morning with a sinking feeling in my stomach, knowing that I was going to do something so dishonest and totally against everything that I was ever taught and that I ever was… 

On August 15^th 2001 I was going about my daily routine of getting up early, getting in the shower, then driving to work as a personal driver and bodyguard for an owner of a huge car dealership in NYC. I took this part time job because I had decided to take some time off from professional wrestling. It was around 6:00 am, I was in the shower at my mother’s house with my head full of shampoo, when all of a sudden I hear a loud voice yelling open the door. I proceeded to yell back, I’m in the shower. (Thinking it was my cousin that had spent the night at my mom’s house) and not a second later the bathroom door comes flying into the bathroom. Simultaneously as I’m wiping the shampoo from my eyes I hear, F.B.I. GET YOUR HANDS UP… I can barely see but as I pull back the shower curtain I see a 2 black 9mm pistols pointing right at me. It was at that very moment that I knew that they had come for me because of the terrible decision that I made over 2 years ago. They then proceeded to ask, do you know why we’re here? And that’s when I said yes! I Do! I had confessed right on the spot to the crime that I had committed over 2 years ago. I knew right there and then that I would lie no more!

At this time my mom was in California visiting my brother, while my 3 cousins and I were staying at my mom’s house in Brooklyn. After confessing to the FBI what I had done, I looked at my cousin and said to her, call my mother in California and tell her that they came to get me. My cousin looked a bit confused. I went on to explain to her, that my mother was the only one who knew of this crime that I had committed. Still looking shocked I explained to my cousin that after I committed this crime, I had confessed to my mother about 4 weeks after that I could not continue to lie about injuries that I didn’t have or live with myself lying every day. The worst fear that I had when confessing this to my mother is that she would have been disappointed in me. Just knowing how well she raised me and my siblings. Instead she consoled me and spoke positive things to me that helped me realize that I just got caught up in a situation that I knew was wrong, but I let my pride eat away at me and sure enough I caved in…

While being out on pre trial probation I took a job on Long Island with a construction company. This was the most ridiculous thing I ever had to encounter. I was ordered not to leave the eastern district of New York which consisted of, Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island unless given permission which I basically needed every day since the construction jobs were mostly in Manhattan, the Bronx and Yonkers. I felt like a child that was on punishment. It got even worse when the probation officers would show up on the job sites unannounced.

At this time I had two guys that worked with me. The one guy Luis was part of a Hispanic church in queens and the other was David, he was part of an African American church on Long Island. Well Luis was on a mission to drive me crazy each and every day!!! He spoke of one thing, and one thing only and that was Jesus… Every day Luis would try to preach to me, he wanted to tell me these bible stories and would continually tell me how much Jesus loved me. I avoided these conversations like the plague. Oh wait it got worse, at lunch Luis used to ask me if he could do this thing called the sinners prayer. And to boot, he tried convincing me that if I did pray this prayer with all of my heart my troubles would be handled by Jesus… I refused to do this, what I did do was make fun of Luis mostly behind his back. After dropping off Luis in queens and proceeding to Long Island every day, David would take a much lighter approach with me. He would tell me that Luis was trying to help me and just wants me to have the piece in my heart that he has. This went on for a few months. I felt that I was approaching the end of the line with Luis because he continued to tell me, you know what Carmine? Jesus Loves You! The next day again, you know what Carmine? Jesus Still Loves You! You need Jesus in your life!!! This began to get really old really quick.

I remember we were in the Bronx on this one particular morning. We had a ton of work to do. David was on another job so it was just Luis and I. One of the jobs we had to do was to add a new electrical panel so that we could build this laundry room in the basement so the tenants wouldn’t have to leave the building. I distinctly remember having this special tool that is used to pull these old style fuses from the panel. So my eyes are focused on pulling this fuse from the panel and the basement already has poor lighting to begin with. I was just about to pull this fuse and all of a sudden Luis approaches me from the side and says Carmine, Jesus still loves you!!! I was so angry, I stepped back turned to Luis and looked him square in the eyes and said something that I wish I would have never said. I said Luis, do you want to see Jesus? Because I can make that happen for you!!! WOW, I couldn’t believe that I just actually threatened to take this man’s life. In an instant after saying this to him, I felt so sad. I felt like I truly crossed the line. I tried apologizing to him for what I just said, while he stood there and kind of put his head down. I was just angry because I felt that is was terrible timing on his part. After all, my hands were inside an electrical panel with about 600 volts within inches from my hands. I come to realize even now that Luis’s timing was PERFECT… While I stood there apologizing and getting no response from Luis, I just felt like I should meet Luis half way. So I made him a deal. I said to him, Luis I will agree to let you tell be bible stories is you agree to just stop being annoying. Like telling me at the worst times that Jesus loves me and stop trying to get me to say this prayer every time we go to lunch. Luis began to look at me and smile. He Agreed!

The next few months were interesting and pretty comical at that. I remember Luis being so happy, like a kid in a candy store. Luis told me story, after story, after story. The funny part was that even though I was willing to listen, I felt like I was listening to a children’s book being read to me. He’d tell me about David and Goliath and I would ask, isn’t that a children’s story? He’d tell me about Noah’s Ark and I would ask, Isn’t that a children’s story? He’d tell me about a guy that was swallowed by a whale and I’d ask, Isn’t that a children’s story? It was getting to the point where I was starting to look forward to Luis’s next stories.

David would just look at us in disbelief that Luis was able to get me to agree to listen each and every day. Not knowing what the turning point was and that it was me who made this deal with Luis.

One day I was driving David to his car that he would leave at the park and ride off of exit 49 on the Long Island Expressway. David said to me, you need to get set into a church near your home. He began to tell me about this church in Dix Hills that him and his family visit once and a while because they have great Christmas and Easter shows and awesome church services. He proceeded to tell me that the lead pastor was an Italian man who was originally from Brooklyn.  This began to catch my attention. He said it’s called Upper Room Tabernacle. I used to drive past it every day and paid no attention to it. I told David that I would go to the Sunday service on this upcoming Sunday. Well Sunday morning was soon to arrive. I remember getting up out of bed, feeling a little nervous as I was getting ready to head to church. As I pulled up to the church I remember the cars that were parked all over the parking lot, in the street and on the grass and dirt. Looking at this little building with this huge cross over it, I began to think. That’s too many people for this small building. I turned my car around and drove home. When I got home I remember getting back in bed and not being able to fall back to sleep. I felt terrible! I didn’t know what I would say to Dave when I would see him the next morning at the Park and Ride.

Monday morning I pick Dave up and start heading into queens to get Luis and Dave asks me, did you go to the church yesterday? I just said no, and told him that I wasn’t feeling well and that I would definitely go this Sunday. Well, Tuesday after work I call Upper Room Tabernacle to find out some information about the church and a lady named Delora answers the phone. We talk for about a half hour and I agree to meet her at the church on Sunday at 8:00am in the lobby. Well that Saturday night I stayed at my mom’s house in Brooklyn. Before going to sleep I told my Mom that I needed to get up very early Sunday morning because I had a breakfast meeting on Long Island. (I was a little embarrassed to say I was going to church) Well Sunday morning comes and I wind up waking up late. So now I’m in panic mode. I’m racing all over my mom’s house yelling I can’t believe I over slept, I’m going to be late. She says why don’t you just call and let the person know that you’ll be late. I got even crazier yelling, I’m going to be late for church. My mom said what? I thought you said you had a breakfast meeting. I said yea, at a church on Long Island! I don’t ever recall my mom looking more confused… I finally get out of the house but I know I’m really late. I remembered Delora saying that she is there for both of the services. The one at 8:00am and the one at 11:00am so I just figured that I would make the 11:00am and explain to her why I was ridiculously late… 

As I pull up to the Church at around 11:15am a sight that scared me even more was seeing the cars parked down the street about a half a mile in each direction. I was scared but I didn’t care. I just remember thinking how is it that so many people fit in that little church. I like everyone else find a parking spot on the grass way behind the church. I walk to the front doors and open them up and as I go in, I don’t see anyone. The church is empty. I turn around and walk out; I look up and see the big cross so I go back in. Still I see no one, a few seconds later I see I kid walking and ask him if he knows a Delora. He says yes, do you want me to go get her for you. I said yes and thank you. He proceeds to walk to a set of side doors. Meanwhile I’m thinking everyone must be down stairs or something. As he grabs the side door and opens it I hear a roar coming out of the adjacent building that looked like an airplane hangar from the outside. I didn’t realize till that movement that this little church wasn’t sitting next to a commercial building, the commercial looking building was the church!!! All I could think was what did I get myself into now? I couldn’t help myself but go over to the doors and open them myself. Well when I did, I was in for the shock of my life. It was like watching one of those huge TV churches right in front of my very eyes. I stepped in and was completely amazed! As I’m taking in this initial shock, I see a lady coming my way waiving her hands. I knew at that moment that it had to be Delora. As she greeted me and gave me a hug I felt like I was in a ridiculous dream. She said come sit with me and my husband Dennis, he is one of the Pastors here at Upper Room. I met him in the front row which was a little overwhelming to say the least. But as the service went on I felt the nervousness leaving me. I felt like I had to at least give this a chance. The Pastor that preached that morning was Pastor Nick. He gave his testimony and he continued to explain that God loves us all. He began to speak about a prayer of invitation and at that moment I could hear Luis’s voice on the job sites. I felt like I knew why I was here. Pastor Nick’s testimony was so familiar to me and hearing about him growing up in Brooklyn just made me feel comforted. He then proceeded to do an alter call so that we could do this sinners prayer, the prayer of invitation which I knew so much about because of Luis’s love for Jesus Christ. I knew I was ready, I knew I needed this; I knew this was my time to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior… And I Did!!!

A few short months later I was going to be sentenced. But since accepting Jesus into my life, he had been comforting my soul; he brought peace and understanding to my heart like I’ve never known before. When I was being sentenced the Judge gave me 2 years probation and no jail time. She said that although she was upset at the crime that I committed, she admired my honesty and the fact that I didn’t follow through with pursuing a lawsuit which would have definitely got me jail time. She said it was nice to know that some people still do have a conscience even after making a huge mistake. I will never stop thanking God for loving me no matter what I’ve done…