By Trixy Toh

Copyright tnp

Driven by “a twisted sense of justice” and the need to defend his friends, Reilly Shaun Paulo was getting into street fights at the age of 15.

“I really didn’t want to fight,” he told The New Paper. “But there was so much pressure from the people around me. I didn’t want to be seen as a coward.”

But he also admitted: “I liked the fact that people were scared to fight me.”

Three years later, the law caught up with Reilly when he was charged with rioting.

With handcuffs around his wrist, Reilly said he felt a crushing disappointment in himself. But what stung more was seeing the look on his parents’ faces as they bailed him out – a moment that filled him with profound shame.

Today, he wears an ankle monitor as he’s on court tagging awaiting his sentencing – a constant “reminder 24 hours a day” of his mistakes.

But to him, it also symbolises how far he has come. As he atones and turns over a new leaf, it reminds him daily of the person he is striving to be – one chasing success not just in muay thai, but in life.

Today, aged 19, Reilly has become a muay thai coach and national fighter. He is also a key member of the Blessed MMA team and has represented the gym in five fights – winning them all.

His current goal is to represent Singapore in future SEA Games. Head coach and founder of Blessed MMA Amir Gani, who said he has seen tremendous growth in Reilly as a fighter and as a young man over the past year, told TNP he has never doubted his potential.

The younger of two children says he is driven by the promise he made to his grandmother on her deathbed last October that he would make it as a martial arts exponent. “No matter what, I feel like she’s always watching. All I can do is keep my promise to her.”

“If she were here right now, I would tell her that I love her a lot, and I’m sorry I didn’t say it enough. Now, I’m going to show how much I love her by fulfilling my promise,” he added.

Struggled with severe ADHD

Growing up, Reilly battled severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a developmental disorder characterised by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. It disrupted his daily life and made school, relationships, and self-control a constant challenge.

“Everyone just told me that I was lazy and there was nothing wrong with me,” he recalled. “I was angry my whole life – after being punished harshly and extremely for things that I didn’t feel were my fault.”

With his parents often away working, Reilly spent much of his childhood in the care of his maternal grandmother, and in the company of his older sister, Caitlin, 21, helper, and pet dog.

“(My grandmother) would talk to me, and I was able to get through a lot of childhood trauma whenever I spoke to her,” he said.

‘I was angry my whole life’

Teachers often dismissed his struggles as laziness, but after his mother, Rachel Chen, insisted on further assessments, he was diagnosed with severe ADHD in 2020.

Ms Chen and her husband, Patrick Adrian Paulo, then encouraged him to channel his energy into sports and physical therapy – but were initially hesitant when Reilly chose to pursue muay thai professionally, worrying that it was “unrealistic”.

The couple soon witnessed the positive change it brought in a boy who was “naturally kind” and “deeply loyal” from a young age. “He showed an incredible ability to learn quickly, stay disciplined, and push himself hard,” Mr Paulo told TNP.

The elder Paulo, a retired paramedic and national diver, and Ms Chen, a legal and business advisor, said they came to see his past behaviour as “borne out of loyalty and courage” even if expressed in the wrong way.

“Real courage sometimes means walking away, even if it feels like cowardice in the moment. Reilly struggled to understand this at the time, believing that turning away from a confrontation was betraying his friends,” Mr Paulo said.

‘All I can do is keep my promise to her’

The passing of Reilly’s grandmother at the age of 96 became the “turning point”, said his parents, adding that it left a profound impact on him.

From then on, Reilly grew more focused, avoiding distractions like nightlife and dedicating himself fully to training and teaching. “That promise has been his anchor, reminding him daily of the values of discipline, perseverance, and integrity,” said Mr Paulo.

Watching him embody that promise, added the couple, fills them with “hope and pride”.

‘I felt something changing in me’

Joining Blessed MMA last July was another turning point for Reilly, who found a mentor and community. It was during a self-trained competition that Mr Amir, now his mentor, noticed him and decided to step in.

“When he cornered me, something just clicked. It was the energy he was able to summon within me during the fight. It was something I never experienced before,” he recalled.

While Mr Amir was initially wary of Reilly’s background, he eventually took him under his wing. “None of this would have been possible without discipline, commitment, and hard work. In short, I have seen Reilly grow from a boy into a man.”

‘It only takes one person who believes in you’

Describing himself as “the strongest (he’s) ever been”, Reilly is ready to dream big – both as a muay thai fighter and as an inspiring coach to others.

While he still experiences occasional bursts of anger and his ADHD is not fully under control, Reilly said he has discovered a sense of peace in fighting thanks to the mental control and discipline it demands.

“There’s more to me than just a violent individual doing nonsense outside,” he said.

“Everyone has to realise that we’re not alone. It only takes one person who believes in you.”