Hello All

I am starting a GoFundMe page for a previously incarcerated prisoner named Glen who accidentally killed someone he loved in a freak accident. I came to know him through the Zen Center in NYC where he was seeking to correspond with another practitioner and I volunteered. Glen served time for 11 years and was recently released.

Being released from prison after that period of time requires one to start all over from the ground up for housing, clothing, electronics with which to find work, etc. Even if you have a paid job in prison, most state prison jobs reimburse anywhere between $0.13 to $0.52 per hour.

Glen was a model prisoner. I had corresponded with him at least once a week. Hehas written up his story below. If you feel moved to contribute to helping him, please give anonymously.

In Glen's own words: When I awoke on the morning of March 9th, 2015, I had no idea that my life and the life of so many others were to be changed forever. This day started as any other. Sitting in meditation for a half hour and taking the two employees with whom I lived and supported to work with me. I was also assisting in tuition payments for one of them, a young man named Cody, who I loved deeply.

At the end of the day, we all returned home and went out to dinner followed by an evening of pool. Upon arriving home, I took my dog out for a walk and when I returned, I picked up my Sig Sauer .45 (a gun) which was on the kitchen counter to put it away, and it accidentally discharged. (I had carried a firearm frequently, been trained in firearm safety and marksmanship, and used it often for hunting.)

All three of us looked at one another in shock. My dear friend Cody fell to the floor. I was shocked. I kneeled on the floor to check on him. I could find no wound, no blood, no signs of trauma. I pulled his eyelids up and could see something was wrong. I rolled him over, pulled up his shirt, and moments later I saw a small red circle with a little tear in it. The bullet had gone through his heart and so no blood could be circulated.

I yelled to call 911 and started CPR, but I knew he was gone. The police showed up quickly, and since I knew both officers and they knew me, they had arrived without firearms out. They took over CPR. When the EMTs arrived, the officers turned their attention to Jonathon and myself. It was obvious to them it was 100% an accidental discharge.

Incidentally and of enormous importance, years later this model firearm has become embroiled in numerous lawsuits due to malfunctioning and other inadvertent deaths and injuries. (Many officers had accidentally shot themselves due to discharges from this gun. This firearm is now part of a huge Class Action Suit (https://www.kherkhergarcia.com/sig-sauer-lawsuit-update/)

No one ever suggested anything more than that this incident was an accident. Not even the prosecution. However, Virginia is a Commonwealth and a state which still operates under the premise of “An eye for an eye,” regardless of the circumstances.

I was charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and received 15 years in prison, for which I served 11 years. I never saw the outside world after the shooting. I lost everything due to this accident. I lost a man I loved as a son who depended on me for work and his tuition payments. We were very close.

At the time, I was running a business – AAL – All About Love, an eldercare business which specialized in helping seniors stay in their homes, doing all phases of property management for them, running errands, driving them to appointments, and monitoring emergency calls. My dear friend Cody worked for me.

I also grew up in an Aiki-Zendo, spent all my time under Master Ishikawa learning Aikido, Tang Soo Do, and Zen. I follow the Bushido code of protecting those who cannot protect themselves. This has been a lifelong pursuit, and I eventually received a 4th Dan in Takemusu Aikido and a 2nd Dan in Tang Soo Do. This was always a “Calling,” and after teaching at The National Institute of Martial Arts for many years, I opened Aikido of Virginia Beach in 1990. Unfortunately, I lost everything with the accident and subsequent incarceration. Though I continue to train and teach on a smaller scale now, I have integrated Yoga and Zen into my daily practice and teachings.

While in prison, I taught GED and Business Classes and that was very fulfilling. I started both a yoga and Zen group there which are still running successfully. I received a certification in Integral Yoga Hatha from Satchidananda Ashram in Yogaville while in prison. I also completed courses on the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali from the Ashram while in prison.

After being released, I have been able to find work for a minimum wage heading up landscaping at a campground. I work 12 - 16 hours a day, six days a week, barely making ends meet.

I can’t even put into words what all of this has done. A friend has now offered to aid me in my efforts to gain independence through fundraising here on GoFundMe, raising money for the down payment for a work truck and trailer. I am a self-starter and have always been able to grow enterprises. My hope is to once again employ people and help our community elders. I am not looking for a handout, simply a chance to begin anew, for an opportunity to once again be a productive member of society. I am aware that at any given moment any one of our lives can turn on a dime, and accidents happen. I also hope to start a scholarship fund in Cody’s name.

My intent is to pay it forward, whatever I am given. I will be forever grateful for any amount I receive. Blessings to each and every one of you!