Victor

Fans of The Cross and the Switchblade will love Victor. It is the true story of Victor Torres, who moved with his family from their native Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, New York, in search of a better life. Their American dream, however, quickly faded into a nightmare when young Victor was introduced to gang life on the New York streets. Within a few years, teenage Victor had set up a lucrative drug-trafficking business in an attempt to help his financially struggling family. But Victor quickly became enslaved by his own drug addiction, as his parents, Manuel and Lila, desperately searched to find a way to help their son. Through the persistent prayers of Victor’s mother and the ministry of David Wilkerson, Victor’s parents realized that a faith-based rehabilitation program was their last chance to rescue their son. After a series of personal tragedies, Victor experienced a life-altering encounter with the Lord that changed everything. In this companion book to the award-winning movie of the same name, Victor Torres himself takes you through his journey, from tragedy to triumph, a living example of the power of redemptive freedom found only in Christ. 

Victor Torres, a pastor, teacher and conference speaker, was a gang warlord and heroin addict in New York City’s violent streets. Through the ministry of David Wilkerson and the prayers of his mother, he encountered Christ. Victor is now the founder and president of New Life for Youth, one of America’s largest and most successful ministries, helping literally tens of thousands of young men and women find freedom from drug addiction and gang life. Currently, New Life for Youth’s headquarters is in Virginia, housing two hundred students and staff. Victor, together with his wife, Carmen, are the founders and senior pastors of New Life Outreach International Church in Richmond, Virginia. A 1,000-member multicultural church made up of over forty nationalities and cultures. Pastor Torres was the recipient of the Multicultural Unity Theologian Award. New Life Outreach International has twenty-two churches throughout the United States and the world. Victor has an honorary doctorate from Vanguard University and is considered an expert in the field of addiction. He has been recognized by many government agencies over the course of his fifty years in ministry. A major motion picture has been produced about the life of Victor, detailing his life as depicted in his autobiography Victor. He and Carmen have four children and eleven grandchildren. Their vision is to reach the lost for Christ and make disciples by duplicating their ministry one hundred times over within their lifetime.