Eric, 30

Eric, 30

Meet Eric..

She was unique and beautiful on a celestial level, and I was privileged to have been humbled and tamed by such an amazing woman.”

Eric, 30

Incarcerated: 12 years

Housed: San Quentin, California

At times in our relationship, I felt all kinds of emotions about her, but I didn’t know how to tell her in person. She treated me kindly and loved me in ways I had never seen or felt before. This beautiful poem was inspired by my amazing fiance, Ana. I want the world to know how much she means to me through my words, plus I want her to know I truly love her. 

That Special Beauty

My temperament made some people uncomfortable, but it inspired confidence and trust. The geometry of domestic simple life is what I crave. So much of the time, we all live out our existence, each at the center of our own stories. They say good music evokes an emotional response that triggers a memory—excited by her eroticism. I owned up to the attraction of her beauty and intensity. The vision, the brilliance of mind, the compassion, there was something extraordinary about this woman. Great minds are rare; great hearts are even rarer. Knowing her is a blessing. I spoke her name like a whispered supplication. She was magical, a free spirit, my opposite in every way. I never knew someone could kiss in a different language, but she could. She is soft with concern and full of understanding. Beautiful in her delivery, warm, wet, and necessary as water. She frightens me on more levels than I knew I had, feeling resonated through her as if she’d spoken. I had trouble getting enough oxygen in her presence. She was unique and beautiful on a celestial level, and I was privileged to have been humbled and tamed by such an amazing woman.

Happy Valentines Day, Ana.

Eric

 

Jared, 40

Jared, 40

Meet Jared and Artemis..

“Introducing dogs into an environment that, at times, could be incredibly depressing and hopeless has brought about a transformative change in our community. Simply put, it has brought us all a touch of humanity.”

Jared, 40

Incarcerated: 10 years

Housed: San Quentin

Canine Companions is a non-profit that has been providing service dogs to people in need at no charge to them. These highly trained service dogs will help their lucky recipient navigate their life by performing many tasks, including retrieving dropped items off the floor, hitting elevator buttons, turning on and off lights, or simply being there to wake them up during a nightmare. We receive these dogs for training at 16 weeks old and have them for one year. My dog was one of the first puppies here, and his name is Artemis. Artemis will leave me for professional training in April of this year. While at San Quentin, we teach the puppies 32 commands and proper social etiquette, including house manners and how to greet people and other animals. We also train them to walk correctly on a leash, even in a wheelchair. The impact these puppies have had on not only the ones directly involved but the population as a whole is staggering. Introducing dogs into an environment that, at times, could be incredibly depressing and hopeless has brought about a transformative change in our community. Simply put, it has brought us all a touch of humanity. We started with two dogs in April of 2023 and have since grown to six dogs. I am so grateful to be a part of this life-changing program and hope others get involved. We are behind these walls for the crimes we have committed, and I am awarded this opportunity to give back in an enormous way.

 

Chase, 28

Chase, 28

Meet Chase and Wendel..

“He is changing so many lives in here, he has definitely changed mine, and I can’t wait until he changes somebody’s life out there as a service dog.”

Chase, 28

Incarcerated: 9 years

Housed: San Quentin

Wendel is a 13-month-old black Lab Golden Retriever mix. He is a service dog in training with an organization called Canine Companions. I am one of Wendel’s San Quentin Puppy Program puppy raisers. We received Wendel when he was a four-month-old puppy and were tasked with caring for, socializing, and training him on fundamental cues. We are also paired with outside puppy raisers that give Wendel the socialization we can not provide behind these walls—things like going on car rides or to the grocery store. So far, Wendel has done excellent in the program and brought so much positivity to the incarcerated population and the staff here at San Quentin. He is changing so many lives here; he has definitely changed mine, and I can’t wait until he changes somebody’s life out there as a service dog. Wendel brings humanity to many lives, and his journey is just beginning.

 

Travis, 33

Travis, 33

Meet Travis and Wendel..

“It is softening my heart in a hard place.”

Travis “Milkbone”, 33

Incarcerated: 11 years

I’ve been at San Quentin for three years, and since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to be in the dog program. My dog, Wendel, is one of the first to arrive here. Although I haven’t been training him since he first came here, I definitely care about him and his future as a service dog. Many inmates in this program have their reasons for wanting to be a part of this program. As for me, I have a nephew who is mentally disabled and in foster care because of his parent’s battle with addiction. Since I’m a replacement trainer, it’s more like Wendel is teaching me. I usually just reinforce what he already knows and bond with him. It is softening my heart in a hard place. He graduates on April 5th and then goes on to professional training. It’ll be sad, but I know he is going to help a person like my nephew, and I helped play a part in that. Thank you to Canine Companions for bringing their program here.

 

Sirrel, 39

Sirrel, 39

Meet Sirrel…

“I felt the weight of sin and the death that lies in this body.”

Sirrel, 39

Incarcerated: 9 years

Housed: San Quentin State Prison

These are true events that have taken place in my life. When I was arrested, I was teased until my kidneys failed. At this point, I felt my soul leave my body and thought I was going to hell. All I was able to do was say, “Jesus forgive me.” At that point, I woke up in the ambulance for a brief second and then I passed out again. Now I’m in prison and I hear chatter on the tier about this book called, “Heaven is For Real”. Before I read the book, I was discrediting the kid’s story until I had an outer-body experience. In 2015, I was meditating and reading Corinthians 12:1-7, where Paul was talking about an outer-body experience. Things only happened back then. At this point, I was feeling unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness. Then I was asleep and out of my body; I was in “Heaven”. I couldn’t see the children but I could hear their laughter. I had seen a table with a beautiful tablecloth, a reef, and God was saying that I was welcome to come home. And then I woke up. I felt the weight of sin and the death that lies in this body. When I was in heaven, I felt so secure, so loved, and without a worry in the world. So I cried out to my spirit, “Why? Why must I come back?” 

These were the two messages: Never discredit someone’s story when you don’t know what has transpired in their life. And God said, “I send no one to hell, people choose hell by rejecting Jesus.”

I have been to Heaven, 

I had an outer-body experience, and I didn’t want to come back to this world! 

 

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