About the Author
Anthony “Tony” Santilli was born in Mountain View, CA, and raised in Los Gatos, CA. He grew up in the Belwood neighborhood where he competed in swimming for the Belwood Dolphins team. As a teenager, Tony became a swim coach for this team and developed a passion for teaching children and adolescents. Tony later studied at Oregon State University. While studying there for his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish, he studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Later, he was accepted as an intern to teach English in Nepal for an organization called Trek to Teach.
Upon conferral of his degree from Oregon State University in 2015, Tony began to volunteer for the National Suicide and Crisis hotline while becoming a Registered Behavioral Technician to support children and adolescents with Autism. Over the course of the following two years, he pursued and completed his Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. After graduating in 2018, Tony worked primarily with youth at schools and a clinic where he delved deeper into play therapy. Tony became a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in May 2021.
Tony is vocal about the social injustices experienced by marginalized communities and works towards further developing himself as an antiracist and an intersectional feminist. He is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Tony strives to normalize discussions about mental health and to secure accessible mental health services for everyone. He models this among family and friends, through social media and on psychotherapy sites by advocating for equality, holistic wellbeing, empathy, and compassion.
About the Illustrator
Monique Belmedioni has lived in many places all over the US but has always felt at home while drawing no matter where she is. She received her Master’s of Arts degree in Illustration from the Academy of Art University in 2020 and currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two cats.
Monique has a passion for stories, characters, books, and art. The joy of illustration is something that she wants to share with the world. To Monique, there is nothing greater in life than love, art, stories, and cats.
Monique’s thoughts: I had a great experience working on the illustrations for this book. I knew when I applied for the job that it was something I really wanted to do. I struggle with my own mental health and it was inspiring and therapeutic to make art for a story that has an important message. When I was feeling depressed or anxious and questioning life, working on this project was a reminder that things will get better and I will make it through. I hope many more people can feel the positivity that radiates from this uplifting story and help spread awareness and suicide prevention. A great way to try and make it through life is with help, kindness, and love.
About the Web Designer
John Castle was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. All his life, he has been passionate about storytelling through whatever mediums he could get his hands on: music, photography, film, and design. He loves building interpersonal relationships and has found that sharing stories is often the easiest way to create new connections with each other.
When he isn’t creating, he loves to hang out with his dachshund mutt, Riley, hike through the NorCal forests and spend time with his family and friends. He is also a HUGE Netflix fanatic.
John’s thoughts: I met Tony about two years ago through a mutual friend. Almost immediately, we formed a strong brotherly bond. I have always been inspired by his empathy for others, his drive to advocate for mental health and give a voice to the voiceless, as well as his unshakable belief in his purpose.
When Tony first told me about Tony’s Superhero Story back in April, I knew I had to be a part of this project. As someone who has struggled with my own mental health in the past, I know firsthand what it’s like to feel helpless, defeated, and isolated by depression and anxiety. I know that Tony’s story will help children realize they aren’t alone in their mental health struggles. I am deeply honored to be a part of this amazing project.
About the Editor
Kevin Fuquay grew up in the quiet suburbs of Portland, Oregon on the end of a dead-end road. Growing up a bit isolated from other kids his age, Kevin quite often had to play by himself. This caused Kevin’s imagination to flourish: sticks became mighty swords, dandelions became fearsome enemies and the sprawling backyard of his childhood home became his battleground, his sports field, and his arena. Through the encouragement of many teachers throughout Kevin’s upbringing and education, Kevin gained a love for all things reading and writing. Kevin became a voracious reader and began to spin his own tales. Kevin’s love of literature continues today and shows no signs of stopping.
Kevin’s thoughts: It was as a freshman living in Callahan dorm at Oregon State University where I first met Tony. He lived across the hall and we quickly became friends. I’ve always admired Tony for his empathy and humility and the way he could turn a stranger into a friend in a matter of minutes. I am thankful to call Tony my friend and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
When Tony reached out and asked me to help edit his story, I jumped at the chance to help out in any way I could. When I found out what it was about, I felt honored to be a part of the process. I think everyone deals with mental health struggles and the more we can be open and honest about it, the better. I hope this book will serve as an amazing resource for children who are questioning their sexuality. I hope this book will help guide them and show them that it’s okay to be different, it’s okay to be questioning yourself, and to stand up to those that try to bully and intimidate people. I think this book is ultimately about self-discovery and self-acceptance. Once you can know yourself and love yourself you can help others do the same. I think that is the ultimate key to happiness.