Pro-Life Teen Assaulted for Sharing Anti-Abortion Literature, Forgives Attacker Who Broke His Nose

May 23, 2014 07:52 PM EDT

A pro-life teen who was assaulted for sharing anti-abortion pamphlets says he does not want to press charges against his attacker-he wants to pray for him.

Last Monday, 17 year old high school student who simply refers to himself as "Ke'Ontai" was out in his Tuscaloosa, Alabama neighborhood park passing out pamphlets titled "Abortion is Not Social Justice." According to Life News, a man passing by began arguing with the teen about when life begins, angrily revealing that his wife had just had an abortion because "that's what they needed to do."

Ke'Ontai explains what happened next in a letter he wrote to Life News.

"He started to get upset. He yelled at me, slapped all my postcards out of my hands, and pushed me down. At that time, I did not know what to think. The guy was almost 350 pounds! Then he got over top of me and started punching my face. I was trying to get away from him, but I couldn't get out from under him. I finally escaped and quickly drove home as fast as I could."

Emergency room doctors would later tell Ke'Ontai he his nose had been broken in addition to multiple bruises and lacerations across his face.

However, despite the abuse the young man experienced, he revealed that he does not want vengeance on his attacker.

"At first, I was mad, but then I realized that I cannot be mad at this man because I know that he did not hate me, he just did not want to hear the truth," Ke'Ontai writes in the letter. " I feel deep down inside that there was something more to his actions than what meets the eye."

"All I can do is forgive him and pray and love him the way God loves me," he continued.

The high school student reveals that he shared his story with Life News to encourage other pro-life advocates to pray for the man and his family.

Ke'Ontai is part of a pro-life movement that is gaining momentum throughout public schools across the nation called "Students for Life." Students involved in the organization raise awareness about abortion and educate their peers concerning abortion.

Kristan Hawkins of Life News says that is encouraging to see individuals as young as Ke'Ontai fearlessly dedicate their lives to restoring justice to the preborn and their mothers.

"He is a courageous, young man...one that I am proud to say that Students for Life has helped train and equip," she writes. "And now, he is more motivated than ever to do all that he can in his school and community, especially his predominately African-American neighborhood, which, according to their own outrageous admissions, is targeted by Planned Parenthood."