He may not fit the profile, but Albertino (Tino) Ritualo says he’s best friends with his four-year-old grandson.
He’s also opening up his experience coming out as gay, and oh yeah– he’s 36-years-old.
Tino’s story is certainly eyebrow-raising: He became a father at just 14, and a grandfather in his early 30s.
He grew up in a Catholic Philipino home and has been out of the closet for over a decade.
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Speaking to GSN, he shared what it was like to be raised by his own grandparents, only to have his grandpa die when he was 12:
“He was the glue that held us all together and once he passed, my grandmother gave up,” he said.
After that, Tino had to fend for himself, relying on friends’ hospitality.
“I bounced from home to home sleeping on friends’ couches finding food where I could,” he said.
Soon he met a girl; the couple had two children by the time Tino had turned 20.
“I met my daughter’s mother through her brother, who was my best friend at the time.
“They weren’t part of the family I was staying with. More so the rebel kids I was running away with,” he shared.
At the same time he learned he would be a father, Tino was also struggling with the fact that he knew deep down he was gay.
“Knowing I was different and wanting to provide a different life for my child motivated me to fight for a way out.
“I got myself through school, held a full-time job and took on fatherhood the best I could… without knowing what or who I was supposed to be,” he said.
At 19, he came out to friends. At 21, to everyone.
He moved to Seattle, started dating guys, and found out his daughter got pregnant during her senior year of high school.
“I felt it was history repeating.”
“Once my grandson was born though and I held him for the first time, I knew things had to change, I knew I had changed. He pulled me out of that depression I was in by giving me a focus,” he said.
After a long and bumpy road, Tino is now dedicated to building a future for his family that’s full of opportunity and love.
“Last year we bought our house and for the first time in a long time – slowly but surely – things are feeling blissfully normal and I owe that to him.”
Leo, Tino’s four-year-old grandson, lives with him, his daughter Tiyanna and son Dionisio.
“With him by my side,” Tino added, “I have been facing every fear I’ve had about myself, fatherhood and family.”
bowlingbutch
now this is my idea of a grandpa! I am 62 and I think he will be better at it than I would! LOL.Come to SF! Best to him
CanadianGuy62
“Soon he met a girl, who he had two children with as a young teen.”
It should be, “…with whom he had two children….”
Do they no longer teach English as part of the journalism curriculum? Oh…right…the author likely didn’t go to journalism school!
Kangol
The article also has “Philipino”…uh, does the writer mean “Filipino”?
frankcar1965
Another snitty queen, I bet you have trouble getting a date or even a simple lay. Bitch.
bushwickfreddy
I think all one needs to be considered a “journalist” in this day and age is a laptop and some working knowledge of the English language.
captainburrito
They probably don’t get paid much and we get what we pay for… which is nothing.
dmanhart
No. It should read….
While still a young teenager, he knocked up two girls when he was just 14.
This is NOT a smiley face story. It is disgusting in how his life is elevated to something a person should admire him for.
Jaxton
He’s been able to have relationships with women but I suppose the gay media needs a conversion for the sake of identity politics.
jjose712
Not, the gay media. He was the one who identified as gay (and giving the hashtags he identifies a lot with being gay)
badpappy
I guessed you missed what the young man was saying. That aside, please inform all of us what politics are not about identity.
man5996853
Yes, a stark difference from the conversions involving electroshock and brainwashing that you likely prefer.
DCguy
Awww, one of the anti-lgbt trolls gets upset that somebody is out of the closet.
Sweetie, HE stated he was gay, not the media.
gayjim1969
Jaxton, learn the difference between the ability to biologically function during the sexual act, thus leading to children, and having successful–and emotionally satisfying–long-term relationships.
M K
As he needed to be raised by his grandparents, he himself was likely a product of a teen pregnancy, then he became a teen parent and now his daughter is a teen parent… do we see the tend here??
I think the article should have been about being responsible to yourself and society, not about the implied studly grandpa. This is nothing to be promoting as a good thing.
Xzamilloh
Agreed
jjose712
Well, the fact that he grew up and stood by his family, took responsability, studied, work, all of that is in fact a great thing.
Hopefully, his son and his grandson won’t follow the pattern, but everybody makes mistakes
Paco
He was raised Catholic. Teen pregnancy is the result of ineffective abstinence only education for hormone overloaded teens and being against birth control. They just don’t quietly give the babies away for adoption and pretend it never happened like they once did.
olfwob
“Once my grandson was born though and I held him for the first time, I knew things had to change, I knew I had changed. He pulled me out of that depression I was in by giving me a focus,” he said.
After a long and bumpy road, Tino is now dedicated to building a future for his family that’s full of opportunity and love.
“Last year we bought our house and for the first time in a long time – slowly but surely – things are feeling blissfully normal and I owe that to him.”
frankcar1965
Did you not see were he said “I felt it was history repeating”? or can’t you read?
startenout
Or his parents died when he was young… Or he had to live with his grandparents while his parents left to try and make money elsewhere… I have a friend who was raised by her grandmother because her parents were murdered and a significant number of my students who haven’t or hadn’t seen their parents in years and are being raised by other family members, so do not assume you know anything about someone else’s story based on your narrow, privileged POV.
startenout
Additionally, where does this article imply that he or his family have negatively impacted society? Because their life tracks don’t fit your view of what is right?? It says he’s working, raising a family and that he is now a homeowner which means he is paying taxes including property taxes. What else would you like him to do for you (that you’re really gonna get)? God the judgement and bourgeoisie REEK here this morning.
Xzamilloh
M K you’re fine. If Queerty can use his perceived hotness as a Studly Grampa at 34 to get clicks, you can also give your opinion on another message that should have ALSO been prevalent here. Because I guarantee if he wasn’t as good looking as he is, this wouldn’t have even been on here. I will say your “society” part got past me and I don’t agree at ALL on that front. He’s responsible only to himself and his family, but hopefully he can teach his grandchildren and children to make better choices in life
rparnell44
I think its great that he came to realize who he is and yet still took care of those that he fathered and making life good for his children and grandchildren. I just hope that some day he will find a person to share his life and all the joy children and grand children can bring.
ybgirp
You are right, rparnell44. It is a great story. The problem lies in both religion and a society that doesn’t have social programmes to prevent its citizens from falling into dire poverty, and doesn’t bother to protect the disadvantaged and children or to ensure their education. It is the inevitable result of unrestricted capitalism.
Greeva
ybgirp
Spare us the blame game. What you are describing sounds exactly like the good ‘ol USA.
Brian
Why wouldn’t he still take care of his kids after coming out as gay? A lot more men don’t abandon their kids than do, he shouldn’t get a cookie for doing what he’s supposed to do.
am_psi
He should have dedicated some time to being a responsible parent and teaching his kids how to use condoms.
man5996853
Ugh…what the eff do you know about what he did and didn’t teach his daughter. And you clearly have lived in this world long enough to know that teaching teens about condoms doesn’t prevent all or even most teen pregnancies.
am_psi
Teen pregnancy rates have dropped by more than 50% in the last 20 years. If you’re the product of a parentless home AND have participated in two teen pregnancies yourself AND are a member of the gay community, you should know should be able to marshal enough horror stories to convince your kids to pull on a condom or take a birth control pill. There’s no excuse.
But, this is typical Queerty; celebrating the bad life choices of good-looking guys.
gayjim1969
Did you listen to everything your parents told you when you were a teen? Were you Mr. Responsibility? I love how people love to stand in judgment of others when they don’t know what other have or haven’t done. Statistics don’t tell the whole story, especially a general statistic like that. Who knows what their relationship was like or if she was accepting of advice as a teen–many teens aren’t.
Kangol
A moving story, and I’m glad to hear he and his family are together. He’s a hottie too.
frankcar1965
He could be my grandpa anyday!!
seaguy
Filipinos are heavily catholic so no condoms, no pill, no abortion what do you get kids having kids.
JessPH
Indeed. That is why majority of predominantly Catholic nations are in dire poverty. The Catholic Church keep vilifying any kind of family planning.
am_psi
You can’t blame this on the church. Catholics don’t believe in using condoms, but they don’t believe in sex out of wedlock or homosexuality either. I find it highly unlikely that this guy is clinging to one minor aspect of Catholic dogma, while ignoring everything else. It’s not about family planning, it’s about irresponsibility.
JessPH
Philipino? Really, Queerty?