  In standard stellar evolution, stars with masses ranging from approximately
$150$ to $240 M_\odot$ are expected to evolve to a pair instability supernova
with no black hole (BH) remnant. This evolutionary behavior leads to a
predicted gap in the black hole mass function from approximately $50$ to $140
M_\odot$. Yet the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations[1] recently discovered black
holes of masses $66 M_\odot$ and $85 M_\odot$ in the gravitational wave event
GW190521. We propose a new method to populate the BH mass gap. If an energy
source is added throughout the star in addition to nuclear fusion, it is
possible for the altered evolution to avoid the complete destruction of a pair
instability supernova, and instead a BH remnant is left behind. An example of
an extra energy source is dark matter annihilation within the star, but our
results hold more generally. We show this phenomenon by exploring the effect of
adding an energy source independent of temperature and density to a $180
M_\odot$ star, using the MESA one-dimensional stellar evolution software. If
$\sim50$\% of the star's energy is due to this new source, the star is capable
of avoiding the pair instability entirely and evolving towards a core-collapse
supernova and ultimately a BH remnant with mass $\sim 120 M_\odot$.
