July 13, 2026 • 10 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, born in San Salvador, El Salvador, Carlos Aguilar arrived in Chicago, Illinois, as a refugee after his family fled the country's civil war. By his teenage years, he was caught in gang life and headed down a dangerous path.
Then a Marine recruiter unexpectedly pulled into his driveway. Carlos shares how that chance encounter, his grandmother's unwavering faith, and one heartbreaking promise led him to become a U.S. Marine and transformed his life.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is Lee Habib and this is our American stories.
Up next a story from Carlos Aguilar. Let's get into
this story. Take it away.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Carlos, I was born in San Salvador, El Salvador, during
the internal conflict that was going on within the government
and gorilla warfare fight and it got too dangerous. The
final breaking point for my family, specifically my grandfather was
the assassination of the Archbishop Oscar Romeril, and he basically
(00:43):
took all his life savings, give it to my mother
and to my grandmother and said take this baby and
don't come back back.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
So we got.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
To Chicago Inner City. I started getting banging when I
was twelve. There was numerous times where either the cows
will get shot up, the car will get shot at,
I will get shot at.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
And after I.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Graduated, I was like, well, if it took me six
years of high school, it's probably gonna take me ten
years of college. And college is not free. So I
ended up getting three jobs and then go and behold.
One day I was off for all three. I was
just sitting in front of my house. Little Dodge Nean
comes driving by. He pulls in the driveway and he goes, hey,
(01:29):
you know who I am. Nope, no clue, And he's like,
I'm a marine. You ever thought about joining? So I
probably would if I qualify, But I don't think I qualify.
It was well, that's my job to see if we
could find that. So about three weeks past and then
I get this random phone call because I filled out
that form. It's like, hey, you were on lying, you
(01:53):
have a wrap sheet, you have a felony, you're on probation.
If you want to join the Marine Corps, we need
to take care of that first. And I'm like, yeah,
I told you, man, they didn't want to lie to you.
He goes, oh, no, but we can work with that.
Deep down, I actually didn't tell them the other issue
that I had with the gangs. Like that's awesome, you
know that he was able to help me legally. But
(02:14):
now the other part is, all right, what do I
do because I'm starting thinking this privately, and like, you know,
I just don't tell no one and just leave, like
I could do it, but then, okay, retaliation might come
with one of my siblings or my parents or someone I.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Love or care about. Somebody. Yeah, I can't do that.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I was panicking doing all this, and finally I'm like,
you know what, I'm just going to do it. So
here we are like a group of like forty fifty people.
This was in the summer, you know, having a regular
little gang meeting or whatnot. I'm talking about children age
of eleven or twelve to like, men that just got
(02:54):
out of prison, or men that they were still in
it in their forties. You know, We're discussing all our
gang man and at the end they conclude like, all right,
does anybody have anything to say or whatever?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And I'm like, well, here it comes. All right.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I don't know how you guys are gonna see this
or take this and everything, but I decided to join
the Marines.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And they felt forever.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
But there was a small pause maybe about ten fifteen
seconds where no ages went dead, silent, and everyone was
just staring at me. And my heart was thriving because
I'm like, oh, here here goes or either I get killed,
I get.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Jumped or something.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
And then the younger kids, you know, thirteen fourteen years, like, oh,
screw him, he's a sellout. Let's mess him up this
that and everything. And of course finally the older ones
were like hey.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Quite quiet, calmed down, and we'll like, what is this
you trying to do?
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Man?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
And I'm like, well, I've lost friends, loved ones, and
you know, I've been in and out of jail.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
It took me six years of high school and did
this is something that I just don't want to further
do and everything. It's like, we're like family. If that's
what you want to know, we'll understandable, respect that, and
just know that whenever you come back home, if you
need us, we're here.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
So I could join yeah, man, just good luck and everything.
A burden had lifted over me. And I'm like all right,
I was planning the worst, and I'm like, this is good.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
This is good. I lived that gang life for a
lot of years.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
I was in and out of jail, to the point
where my parents had to move. So everything and anything
that I would ever tell them they didn't believe.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
They're like, oh, here we go one of your other stories.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So when I told my parents that I was joined
in the Marines, They're like, oh, here we go, another scam, this.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
That, whatever.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
But the one person that never lost faith in what
I said and did was my grandmother.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
So when I told her of my plan of what
I was doing.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
She's like, you know what, I've been praying to God
that one day he would answer my prayers, and this
day has finally come that you're going to do so
something good with your life. And I'm like, yes, ma'am,
I'm gonna go. Granted, I didn't stop cold Turkey hanging
around with the people that were affiliated with gangs and everything.
So for whatever reason, I thought it was a good
(05:12):
idea to go have one last hourrah with the buddies.
So I go out and don't come back home till
like four four thirty in the morning. I was drunk,
smelling like smoke, and all the.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Lights in the house were on, and I found it weird.
For that time.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I going through the back as always, everyone's awake, my brothers,
my sister, my parents in the.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Kitchen, and my mom just comes straight to me, while
you've been out there effing with your friends and everything,
your grandma just died.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And just smacks me across the face, immediately sobering up,
and I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Like, what are you talking about? I just I just
talked to her a couple of days ago. No, and all
this can't be and.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I'm just going through all the emotions, punching the air,
punching the wall, going mad crazy.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I called it acruiter.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Hey man, I know you're supposed to pick me up today,
but I'm not going What do you mean?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
My grandma just died and I'm going to Ol Salvador
to funeral and everything, so I'm not doing that.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Quit.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Two three days later we buried her. I started coming
down more and I was like, well, you know what.
My Grandma's last memories of me was knowing that I
was going to do something good with my life, so
lett not her life go in vain. So when I
go back home, I'm going to fulfill what I told
her that I was going to do, and I was
going to join the United States Marine Corps. I was
(06:37):
already eighteen, so I didn't need permission from my mother.
So the following day, the recruiter comes knocking on the door.
How you doing, missus? Zaguilar Sarry and goose Man is
here to pick up your son, My son?
Speaker 3 (06:50):
What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Did he not tell you? But what the he was
enjoying the Marines? Well, I thought he was lyed. I
didn't know I thought he made it up. No, I'm
actually here to pick him up. No, no, no, don't
take him. So she starts passing out. I didn't know
this at the time. She either experienced or had witnessed
(07:12):
some of the atrocities that were going in Osalvador and
was afraid that something like that I would be involved in,
or even worse, you know, with some type of war
the US will cause. She runs into her bedroom, goes
into her drawer and pulls out her savings and she's
trying to bribe the recruiter. Here, here's this money.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Take it. Just pretend like you've never seen him.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
And sarn Guzman is looking at me and he's like, Agila,
what's going.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
On with your mom?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
He's like, and I'm like, mom, I gotta do this.
It's like no, no, please don't leave me. Your grandma
just left you. You don't leave me, please know and everything.
Then sarn Guzman turns around and tells her, ma'am, I'm
taking your boy away, but I promise you I will
bring you back on man. From day one, chaos, misery.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I didn't know how to prepare for boot camp. I
didn't know what it was here. I am ex gang banger.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Of course I had a dronist that they come in
my face and start screaming at me. In Chicago, mentality
kicks in and push them like, get away from mood.
Oh are you screaming at it? That was the worst
thing to do. Next, you know, I have like ten
drawn strutters all around me. Oh, welcome to our world.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Who do you think you are? Blah blah, We're the
biggest gang out there and everything.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
And from there on I had labeled myself and to
drounal stutters made sure that every day.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
That I woke up, I was demanded on. I was
stressed out. It was miserable. I used to damn their names.
I hated them.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I would wish and pray every night when they would
leave the squad babe, that they would get in the
car wrec That's how bad I hated them. But after
a while, so you know what, I hate them, but
I want to earn their respect more.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Than anything else, becoming a dronal.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
So there myself slowly what the Marin Corps says of
breaking you down and building back up. Little did I
know that they started happening without even me knowing. Come
family day, the day prior to graduation. Unbeknownst to me
at the time, I didn't even know my family had
flew in to see me because kind of turned my
back on everything because of the passing of my grandmother,
because I'm like, you know what, he was a godfaring
(09:09):
woman that devoted her life to faith, and even then
when I needed it the most, she was gone. But
here I see two people from Afar running towards me,
and the next thing, you know, as they're getting closer,
and I'm.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Like, oh my god, it's my parents.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
My mom is running with this huge picture frame that
she had got of my grandmother color penciled with her
in the background, and then in the bottom right corner
is a picture of me and my dress blues. So
I was like, wow, that was amazing. It was one
of the best feelings I ever had. This is what
I mean by things happened for a reason. If it
wasn't for her passing out and never continued to be
(09:48):
a marine, if it wasn't for her passing, I would
have done all these other additional things that have made
me a better person, better human being, family member.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Son, father. You might not know right there and in there,
why it happens to you, but a venture to come
to life and.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
A terrific job by the production, editing and storytelling by
our own James Joski, our intern from Hillsdale College and
his debut piece, and also to Caleb Robinson, our intern
from Ole miss And what a story we heard, the
story of Carlosaguilar and his family escaping war torn El
Salvador only to find themselves on Chicago city streets. And
(10:27):
then that grandmother and her death prompted a major change
and is responsible for a remarkable change in Carlosagular's life
and destiny from gang life to marine life. The story
of Carlosaguilar here on our American Stories
This is Lee Habib and this is our American stories.
Up next a story from Carlos Aguilar. Let's get into
this story. Take it away.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Carlos, I was born in San Salvador, El Salvador, during
the internal conflict that was going on within the government
and gorilla warfare fight and it got too dangerous. The
final breaking point for my family, specifically my grandfather was
the assassination of the Archbishop Oscar Romeril, and he basically
(00:43):
took all his life savings, give it to my mother
and to my grandmother and said take this baby and
don't come back back.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
So we got.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
To Chicago Inner City. I started getting banging when I
was twelve. There was numerous times where either the cows
will get shot up, the car will get shot at,
I will get shot at.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
And after I.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Graduated, I was like, well, if it took me six
years of high school, it's probably gonna take me ten
years of college. And college is not free. So I
ended up getting three jobs and then go and behold.
One day I was off for all three. I was
just sitting in front of my house. Little Dodge Nean
comes driving by. He pulls in the driveway and he goes, hey,
(01:29):
you know who I am. Nope, no clue, And he's like,
I'm a marine. You ever thought about joining? So I
probably would if I qualify, But I don't think I qualify.
It was well, that's my job to see if we
could find that. So about three weeks past and then
I get this random phone call because I filled out
that form. It's like, hey, you were on lying, you
(01:53):
have a wrap sheet, you have a felony, you're on probation.
If you want to join the Marine Corps, we need
to take care of that first. And I'm like, yeah,
I told you, man, they didn't want to lie to you.
He goes, oh, no, but we can work with that.
Deep down, I actually didn't tell them the other issue
that I had with the gangs. Like that's awesome, you
know that he was able to help me legally. But
(02:14):
now the other part is, all right, what do I
do because I'm starting thinking this privately, and like, you know,
I just don't tell no one and just leave, like
I could do it, but then, okay, retaliation might come
with one of my siblings or my parents or someone I.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Love or care about. Somebody. Yeah, I can't do that.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I was panicking doing all this, and finally I'm like,
you know what, I'm just going to do it. So
here we are like a group of like forty fifty people.
This was in the summer, you know, having a regular
little gang meeting or whatnot. I'm talking about children age
of eleven or twelve to like, men that just got
(02:54):
out of prison, or men that they were still in
it in their forties. You know, We're discussing all our
gang man and at the end they conclude like, all right,
does anybody have anything to say or whatever?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And I'm like, well, here it comes. All right.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I don't know how you guys are gonna see this
or take this and everything, but I decided to join
the Marines.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And they felt forever.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
But there was a small pause maybe about ten fifteen
seconds where no ages went dead, silent, and everyone was
just staring at me. And my heart was thriving because
I'm like, oh, here here goes or either I get killed,
I get.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Jumped or something.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
And then the younger kids, you know, thirteen fourteen years, like, oh,
screw him, he's a sellout. Let's mess him up this
that and everything. And of course finally the older ones
were like hey.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Quite quiet, calmed down, and we'll like, what is this
you trying to do?
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Man?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
And I'm like, well, I've lost friends, loved ones, and
you know, I've been in and out of jail.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
It took me six years of high school and did
this is something that I just don't want to further
do and everything. It's like, we're like family. If that's
what you want to know, we'll understandable, respect that, and
just know that whenever you come back home, if you
need us, we're here.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
So I could join yeah, man, just good luck and everything.
A burden had lifted over me. And I'm like all right,
I was planning the worst, and I'm like, this is good.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
This is good. I lived that gang life for a
lot of years.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
I was in and out of jail, to the point
where my parents had to move. So everything and anything
that I would ever tell them they didn't believe.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
They're like, oh, here we go one of your other stories.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So when I told my parents that I was joined
in the Marines, They're like, oh, here we go, another scam, this.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
That, whatever.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
But the one person that never lost faith in what
I said and did was my grandmother.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
So when I told her of my plan of what
I was doing.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
She's like, you know what, I've been praying to God
that one day he would answer my prayers, and this
day has finally come that you're going to do so
something good with your life. And I'm like, yes, ma'am,
I'm gonna go. Granted, I didn't stop cold Turkey hanging
around with the people that were affiliated with gangs and everything.
So for whatever reason, I thought it was a good
(05:12):
idea to go have one last hourrah with the buddies.
So I go out and don't come back home till
like four four thirty in the morning. I was drunk,
smelling like smoke, and all the.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Lights in the house were on, and I found it weird.
For that time.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I going through the back as always, everyone's awake, my brothers,
my sister, my parents in the.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Kitchen, and my mom just comes straight to me, while
you've been out there effing with your friends and everything,
your grandma just died.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And just smacks me across the face, immediately sobering up,
and I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Like, what are you talking about? I just I just
talked to her a couple of days ago. No, and all
this can't be and.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I'm just going through all the emotions, punching the air,
punching the wall, going mad crazy.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I called it acruiter.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Hey man, I know you're supposed to pick me up today,
but I'm not going What do you mean?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
My grandma just died and I'm going to Ol Salvador
to funeral and everything, so I'm not doing that.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Quit.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Two three days later we buried her. I started coming
down more and I was like, well, you know what.
My Grandma's last memories of me was knowing that I
was going to do something good with my life, so
lett not her life go in vain. So when I
go back home, I'm going to fulfill what I told
her that I was going to do, and I was
going to join the United States Marine Corps. I was
(06:37):
already eighteen, so I didn't need permission from my mother.
So the following day, the recruiter comes knocking on the door.
How you doing, missus? Zaguilar Sarry and goose Man is
here to pick up your son, My son?
Speaker 3 (06:50):
What do you mean?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Did he not tell you? But what the he was
enjoying the Marines? Well, I thought he was lyed. I
didn't know I thought he made it up. No, I'm
actually here to pick him up. No, no, no, don't
take him. So she starts passing out. I didn't know
this at the time. She either experienced or had witnessed
(07:12):
some of the atrocities that were going in Osalvador and
was afraid that something like that I would be involved in,
or even worse, you know, with some type of war
the US will cause. She runs into her bedroom, goes
into her drawer and pulls out her savings and she's
trying to bribe the recruiter. Here, here's this money.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Take it. Just pretend like you've never seen him.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
And sarn Guzman is looking at me and he's like, Agila,
what's going.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
On with your mom?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
He's like, and I'm like, mom, I gotta do this.
It's like no, no, please don't leave me. Your grandma
just left you. You don't leave me, please know and everything.
Then sarn Guzman turns around and tells her, ma'am, I'm
taking your boy away, but I promise you I will
bring you back on man. From day one, chaos, misery.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I didn't know how to prepare for boot camp. I
didn't know what it was here. I am ex gang banger.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Of course I had a dronist that they come in
my face and start screaming at me. In Chicago, mentality
kicks in and push them like, get away from mood.
Oh are you screaming at it? That was the worst
thing to do. Next, you know, I have like ten
drawn strutters all around me. Oh, welcome to our world.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Who do you think you are? Blah blah, We're the
biggest gang out there and everything.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
And from there on I had labeled myself and to
drounal stutters made sure that every day.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
That I woke up, I was demanded on. I was
stressed out. It was miserable. I used to damn their names.
I hated them.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I would wish and pray every night when they would
leave the squad babe, that they would get in the
car wrec That's how bad I hated them. But after
a while, so you know what, I hate them, but
I want to earn their respect more.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Than anything else, becoming a dronal.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
So there myself slowly what the Marin Corps says of
breaking you down and building back up. Little did I
know that they started happening without even me knowing. Come
family day, the day prior to graduation. Unbeknownst to me
at the time, I didn't even know my family had
flew in to see me because kind of turned my
back on everything because of the passing of my grandmother,
because I'm like, you know what, he was a godfaring
(09:09):
woman that devoted her life to faith, and even then
when I needed it the most, she was gone. But
here I see two people from Afar running towards me,
and the next thing, you know, as they're getting closer,
and I'm.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Like, oh my god, it's my parents.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
My mom is running with this huge picture frame that
she had got of my grandmother color penciled with her
in the background, and then in the bottom right corner
is a picture of me and my dress blues. So
I was like, wow, that was amazing. It was one
of the best feelings I ever had. This is what
I mean by things happened for a reason. If it
wasn't for her passing out and never continued to be
(09:48):
a marine, if it wasn't for her passing, I would
have done all these other additional things that have made
me a better person, better human being, family member.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Son, father. You might not know right there and in there,
why it happens to you, but a venture to come
to life and.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
A terrific job by the production, editing and storytelling by
our own James Joski, our intern from Hillsdale College and
his debut piece, and also to Caleb Robinson, our intern
from Ole miss And what a story we heard, the
story of Carlosaguilar and his family escaping war torn El
Salvador only to find themselves on Chicago city streets. And
(10:27):
then that grandmother and her death prompted a major change
and is responsible for a remarkable change in Carlosagular's life
and destiny from gang life to marine life. The story
of Carlosaguilar here on our American Stories
Host
Lee Habeeb
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