Timothy Andrews hated Judo.

After getting into a little trouble with the police when he was 11, authorities put him in what they called a “diversion program.’’

He called it punishment.

But now, Timothy says, it was a blessing.

“I don’t know what I would have done without Judo,” he said, after instructing a group of little kids at Riverland Park to stretch, run and practice their positions. “It completely changed me.”

Timothy hasn’t had always had it easy. One of five kids, he and his siblings grew up with their grandparents in Fort Lauderdale. His siblings have since moved and it’s is just Timothy and his grandparents.

Moving from one low-income apartment to another, Timothy, 15, knows it’s been a struggle for his grandmother, who works in an eye glass store and is the sole supporter of the family.

“Things are tight,” he said. “It’s really hard on her.”

Timothy hopes this Christmas he and his grandparents can have a real Christmas in their new rental home in Fort Lauderdale.

Recently, the family found out the house they had been renting had been in foreclosure and they had 48 hours to find a new home.

His grandmother said scraping up the $1,200 it took for the family to move leaves little money left for anything.

Diane Jackson-Pope said she would love to be able to give Timothy a Christmas dinner with turkey, ribs and “all the fixings.”

“He’s a good boy,” she said. “He deserves more.”

Timothy would love to see his grandparents get help with the rent. He would also love to see a real Christmas tree — instead of the $2 plastic one his grandmother bought that sits among the boxes in the modest living room.

“There is just something about having a real tree,” he said. “It’s more festive.”

Timothy, who is nearly 6 feet tall, could also use size 11 sneakers and some clothes. But his biggest wish would be to get a set of weights that will help him train and reach is ultimate goal, which is to go to the Olympics.

When he is on the Judo mat, Timothy said, everything else disappears. He doesn’t think about not having money. He doesn’t think about his family.

He focuses on his opponent.

Judo, he said, taught him to think differently.

“I don’t have time to sit around or get in trouble,” he said.

Standing in front of a group of beginners at the Onikusu Judo Club in Fort Lauderdale, Timothy stretches his arms and counts in Japanese.

Judo has taken him places he never thought he would have been able to go.

Earlier this year, he went to the Ukraine and represented the United States in the junior world championships. He has also traveled to Philadelphia and Michigan for national competitions.

Ghalib Carmichael, his sensei, said Timothy has come along way since he first landed on the Judo mat and has potential for the future.

Once a young kid with an attitude, Timothy has become a role model for other kids and teenagers.

“It’s a way of building strength of character,” Carmichael said.

When Timothy is not at Judo, he is often at Handy, an after-school program for disadvantaged youth.

It was Richard Charlemon, who works with Timothy at Handy, who nominated the teen for Wishbook.

Charlemon said that despite Timothy’s daily struggles, the teen is always smiling and will go places.

“He isn’t the type of kid who asks for a bunch of things,” said Charlemon. “He just does what he has to do with what he has.”

Timothy said he uses Judo as a metaphor for life.

“When you fall,’’ Timothy said, “you have to get back up.”