Years back we carried the extraordinary account of a South American man named Marino Restrepo — a fast-lane music producer who made it through Europe to Hollywood and was immersed in a life of constant partying and worldliness until he was kidnapped for ransom. This occurred as he was held by robbers in Colombia.

Unlike many who enter into the dark charisma of rock-and-roll, Marino escaped — thanks to Heavenly intervention.

Restrepo, who is now a Catholic missionary, with an apostolate in more than twenty countries, started out as did so many of his era in a world of sex, drugs, hippiedom, and slavish devotion to entertainment. Born in the highlands of the Andes, he moved to Germany in his late teens, where he married and studied music before relocating to California and entering the music and film industries — as well as debauchery. (His story is here in our archives and is also in a remarkable, can’t-put-it-down book, From Darkness into the Light).

As a musician and later in the film-merchandising business, the former Colombian was to encounter “many evil characters [who] had infiltrated Hollywood as famous writers working for the most prestigious film studios, or as producers of the greatest movies ranging from Disney’s productions for children to Warner Brothers’ horror movies. This spirit began to grow in the 1960s when the ‘love and peace’ generation was born, and has grown ever since.” His latest missive:

[resources: From Darkness To Light]