Pattie Mallette is Justin Bieber’s mom. Some people may assume that he is just the father of a celebrity riding on the coattails of his son’s newfound fame. This is not the case. This is a story of redemption for many young women like her.
A generation or two ago, when a girl was abused, it was not talked about. Even when a girl trusted someone, she was discarded. Today, we are learning that talking about difficult topics helps others seek intervention.
As a child and teenager, Pattie had been sexually abused by family friends. Her mother and stepfather raised their children the best they could, but they weren’t as loving as Pattie needed when she was going through this time. They weren’t aware of the situation until Pattie jumped in front of a truck in hopes of being hit. Later, her mother took her to the hospital for help.
The teenage years for Pattie turned into a time of acting and looking for love in the wrong places until she met a youth pastor who helped her turn things around. She and her friends stumbled upon a building that was not yet open and thought they had hit the jackpot when they found video games and a snack bar. They began to sneak in and have fun. When it opened, it turned out to be a Christian youth center. They kept going as it was a fun place. She liked the director, but he always talked about God, which annoyed her a bit.
Pattie had a difficult relationship with another teenager who became Justin’s father. They were both not ready to be parents. Pattie finally asked him to leave and started making a life for herself and her son. She had accepted Christ, had gotten an apartment and little by little, she tried to move on. The youth pastor asked if a teenage girl could spend the night with her until he could get help. She agreed and ended up letting the girl stay for about a year. This was one way he was giving back by helping someone else in their time of need.
As her son Justin grew up, it was evident that he had a lot of musical talent. Others were fascinated by the boy’s charismatic charm and his ability to connect with the audience. Justin loved playing instruments, singing, and acting. He wanted to participate in a talent show in Canada where they lived and was disappointed when he did not win.
The stroke of luck came because she had asked her mother to publish her performances so that her grandmother could see them. Once on the Internet, they were discovered by a talent scout, who contacted Pattie. The rest is history.
As the mother of a now-famous young man, she is confident that he will learn from his mistakes and make positive decisions. She was able to go from being a wounded and troubled teenage mother to getting an education and a professional job, as well as helping her son’s dream come true.
It is true that when you are depressed, there is nowhere to go but up.