Meet The Founder

If you had told me years ago that I’d be running my own business, helping people on the road, and building something from the ground up, I don’t know if I would’ve believed you. My journey hasn’t been easy. In fact, there were times I didn’t think I’d make it out at all.

I was born in El Salvador, but my story really begins when I was 11 years old. That’s when I came to the United States, alone, undocumented, and stepping into a world I didn’t understand. I was here to reunite with my mother for the first time, a woman I barely knew but had always imagined. Everything around me was different—the language, the people, the way life moved. I felt like a stranger, like I didn’t belong.

Adjusting was hard. I struggled in school, not just with learning English, but with everything. I acted out. I made mistakes. And by the time I was 13, those mistakes caught up with me. I found myself locked up in a Juvenile Detention Center, where I stayed until I was 16. Three years. That’s a long time for a kid.

There’s something about being in a place like that—it either breaks you, or it makes you fight harder. I had a lot of time to think, a lot of time to wonder if this was all life had for me. And deep down, I knew I wanted more. I just didn’t know how to get there.

When I got out, I was placed into a step-down program, UMFS (United Methodist Family Services), then I transition into foster care. Every new place felt temporary, like I was just passing through, waiting for something stable. But I kept going, kept holding onto the idea that something better was out there. I just had to find it.

That “something” came when I got my first job in the tire industry. I started at a local tire shop, learning the ropes, getting my hands dirty, and realizing I had a knack for it. I worked hard, showed up every day, but deep down, I knew I wasn’t getting what I deserved. I saw how much money I was making for someone else, how my skills were undervalued. And I started thinking—what if I could do this on my own? What if I could build something for myself?

In late 2021, I took the biggest leap of my life and Tony’s Roadside Services LLC was born. I didn’t have much—no fancy setup, no big investors, just a dream and the determination to make it happen. I knew what it felt like to be stranded, to feel like no one was coming to help. And I wanted to be that person who showed up when people needed it most.

Every tire I fix, every call I take, is more than just a job to me. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come. My business isn’t just about changing tires—it’s about second chances. It’s about proving that no matter where you come from, no matter how many times you fall, you can always get back up.

I take pride in what I do, not just because it pays the bills, but because it means something. When someone calls me stranded on the side of the road, they’re not just another customer—they’re a person who needs help, just like I did all those years ago. And I show up for them the way I wish someone had always shown up for me.

Looking ahead, I see something bigger. I want to expand, reach more people, build a team that believes in this mission as much as I do. But more than that, I want my story to inspire others—especially those kids who feel like the world has already counted them out.

Because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s this: you don’t have to be defined by where you started. You don’t have to be trapped by your past. If you’re willing to fight for it, if you’re willing to put in the work, you can create something better. You can build a life that makes you proud.

That’s what Tony’s Roadside Services is all about. Not just fixing or changing tires—but proving that no matter where you come from, you can always keep moving forward.