My Why: The Story That Led Me to Advocacy
I started this blog because there came a time in my life when I could no longer look at our criminal justice system from a distance. Many people who have never had a loved one incarcerated assume that anyone who ends up in prison must simply deserve whatever punishment comes their way. They assume the courts get it right. They assume the system is fair.
But the truth is: the system is only fair until it touches your life. Then you learn how fragile justice really is.
For me, that realization began with one person—someone who, over nearly three decades behind bars, grew into an extraordinary human being. His story opened my eyes to realities I never knew existed. It became the foundation of my advocacy and ultimately the reason I founded On The Way Home.
His Story – My Introduction Into Injustice
The man I love was born into instability, a childhood marked by constant moves, unstable parenting, domestic turmoil, and experiences no child should be exposed to. He was raised in an environment that taught survival, not safety; fighting, not trust; anger, not stability. He spent his earliest years bouncing from state to state, country to country, never attending the same school from the beginning of a year to the end of it. By the time he reached early adolescence, he had lived in more places than many people see in a lifetime.
He was, in many ways, still just a child raising children, carrying responsibilities far too heavy for someone his age. He often had to care for his younger siblings, making sure they ate, bathed, got to school, and stayed safe while the adults in his life repeatedly failed them all. The only consistent love he ever knew came from grandparents who lived far away.
By the age of 15, he was angry, exhausted, and desperate for escape. One night, in that state of desperation, he made a tragic decision that changed the course of his life forever. A series of panicked, fear-driven actions resulted in the death of an elderly woman who had shown him kindness. He was a scared child acting out of survival, not malice—but the consequences were devastating.
What happened next is what opened my eyes to how deeply flawed the system can be.
He was immediately painted as a monster, an intentional predator, before any evidence had ever been heard. Public statements made by officials shaped public opinion and tainted the process long before trial. Requests for a fair venue were denied. Conflicts of interest were ignored. He was tried as an adult while still a child.
And at just 16 years old, he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison with no possibility of parole.
He went straight from sentencing into an adult prison, alone, abandoned by the very people who were supposed to protect him, forced to grow up in a world of violence and survival. He had no support system, no money, no guidance. The only “family” he had became the men around him, who helped raise him from a traumatized boy into the man he is today.
Years later, when he discovered that his appeal had been mishandled, he tried to challenge it on his own, relying on help from other incarcerated men. But even then, his attempt to correct the process was shut down, leaving him without a voice and without options.
It wasn’t until decades later, after national rulings on juvenile sentencing, that his case was reconsidered. But even then, delays, miscommunications, and systemic resistance slowed every step. Today, he has been resentenced and is parole eligible, but so far has been denied parole. He’s still incarcerated, still fighting, still believing in second chances.
One day he will get that chance.
And when he walks out, I’ll be right there beside him.
What His Story Taught Me
His story is not unique.
And that is what changed me.
I saw firsthand how a child can be lost in a system that was never designed to understand trauma, mental health, or childhood development. How fear and politics can shape a courtroom. How truth can be overshadowed by narratives crafted to secure convictions. How easily a young life can be thrown away.
I saw the other side of incarceration—the survival, the violence, the resilience, the heartbreak, the humanity. I heard stories from the inside that no headline ever captures. I felt the fear that families feel every day, waiting for a call, praying for safety, living with uncertainty.
I started by wanting to help one person.
But once you understand the system, you realize it’s never just one person.
The injustice is bigger.
The harm is deeper.
And the silence is deafening.
Why This Blog Exists
This blog is my commitment to breaking that silence.
Here, I’ll share:
• The truth about our judicial system and prisons
Not statistics alone—but the humanity behind them, the failures, the cruelty, and the urgent need for reform.
• Stories from the inside
Real accounts from incarcerated men and women about what they see, experience, and survive every single day.
• Stories from families on the outside
The partners, parents, siblings, and friends who love someone behind the walls and live with a kind of uncertainty most people never think about.
I want this space to grow—to amplify voices, educate the public, and shine light where so many would prefer darkness. I want people to understand that justice is not simple, and punishment is not the same as accountability.
I am only one person, but I refuse to look away.
If I can help one, I must fight for the rest.
And that is how On The Way Home began.
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