“Live life to the fullest,” advised Anthony Baquedano.
Anthony Baquedano has a heart of gold and loves to be able to help others. He does his best to live life to the fullest every day by simply doing what he loves and making a difference in the lives of others. His girlfriend, Mallory Lee, can easily see his generous spirit and how he makes a difference in the lives of others.
“He is an amazing person! His work ethic is unmatched, and even still he strives to be better! He will do anything for the people he loves and even someone he doesn’t know well. He would give the shirt off his back with no hesitation,” described Mallory. “He also pushes me to be the best I can be in nursing school and in life in general.”
While everyone loves having him around now, Anthony has not always been in Clarke County. In fact, he grew up in a much different area.
“I was born in Los Angeles, California, but moved to Las Vegas, Nevada when I was around six months old,” explained Anthony. “I was basically raised in Vegas.”
Before he could get out of junior high, Anthony was uprooted from the area he knew so well and discovered a whole new life in Mississippi. While it was definitely an adjustment for him, he learned that the change was actually good and formed new friendships quickly.
“My family and I moved to Mississippi in the summer of 2009 when I was about to begin the eighth grade,” recalled Anthony. “Mississippi was quite the culture shock, but all the friendships and memories that have come along the way have been wonderful.”
When they first moved to Quitman, Anthony and his family began attending a local church, and he has remained with that same church ever since.
“I have been a member of the First United Methodist Church in Quitman since we moved to Mississippi,” stated Anthony.
When Anthony was out of school, he decided to find an occupation doing what he loves. He was successful and found a career that allows him to help others and make a difference whenever he is called out: firefighting.
“I’ve been a fireman with the Meridian Fire Department for about five years now. We respond to several different types of incidents, including vehicle accidents, EMS calls, and structure fires to name a few,” informed Anthony. “Some days we don’t go anywhere or do anything other than go to the grocery store and cook lunch and dinner. Other days, we have multiple calls all day and night. It really just varies; there’s no rhyme or reason behind it. I love my job. It’s been a wonderful experience, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is considering the fire service.”
Even when he is off the clock at his job, he chooses to volunteer and contribute his skills in Clarke County as well.
“I have been part of the Quitman Volunteer Fire Department for a few years now,” said Anthony.
When he does have a chance to relax, Anthony has different things he likes to do both outdoors and indoors.
“I play golf pretty regularly. It’s my favorite thing to do. I enjoy being outside with nature and having some alone time away from the stresses of life,” declared Anthony. “I also play video games in my game room in my house when I have the chance. Not to brag, but I am very good at FIFA.”
Anthony has enjoyed almost every moment of his life, but he doesn’t consistently focus on the past. While he has had fun and made multiple amazing memories, he doesn’t narrow down his memories to only think about one or two events. Instead, he just lives in the moment and makes the most out of his life by looking to the great things that are still to come.
“I feel like my favorite memory is yet to come. I don’t think I could choose just one memory from my life,” proclaimed Anthony. “I have been very fortunate in my life to be able to do many things that not everyone can say they’ve done.”
With each passing day, it can be guaranteed that Anthony will continue to do everything he can to help others. He is humble about his success and what he does, and he plans to continue to do his best at everything he does and live his life to the fullest.
If you would like to nominate someone for Person of the Week, contact Brittney Mangum at 601-776-3726
