Over the past nine months, Justin Bieber – the Stratford native who rose to international stardom in 2009 – has been in the news less for his singing career than for his off-stage exploits.
Incidents which have made headlines include allegedly punching and kicking a paparazzo at a shopping centre, spitting off a balcony at a Toronto hotel as a crowd of fans waited below and having his pet monkey seized after landing at a German airport.
More recently, Los Angeles Police Department officers raided his home last week, looking for evidence relating to his allegedly throwing eggs at a neighbour’s home.
One member of his entourage, rapper Lil Za, was arrested and held on suspicion of cocaine possession.
All in all, Bieber’s life is markedly different than it was when he was a student at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford.
Current students at St. Michael say even if they don’t follow the ins and outs of every event in Bieber’s life, they think suggestions to pray for the singer are sound.
“People should pray for him. He doesn’t deserve hate,” Austin Boersma tells CTV News.
“I think it’s a good idea to pray for him. He’s going through a lot,” adds Sheldon Klassen.
Across town, students at Stratford Central Secondary School aren’t as kind to the singer.
“I think he’s getting the negativity that he deserves, because of all the negative stuff he’s been doing,” says Rachel Champion.
“He’s supposedly grown up, but I don’t think he has at all.”
But for those who knew Bieber through his childhood, like family friend Nathan McKay, looking at what Bieber has done isn’t as important as hoping he’ll change his behaviour.
“The more people are sending their love and prayers, the better,” McKay says.
“He definitely responds to encouragement and prayer. He’s a very deep person. A lot of people don’t get to see that.”
McKay says Bieber was a “jokester” as a kid, but also had a sense of justice and compassion – something he blames the singer’s busy schedule for pushing away.
