My son was an amazing person who was lost to the prison system at the very young age of 15. He was an extremely talented football player who could have gone pro, but he never got to experience a real childhood. After spending 10 years in prison, he was released as an adult into a world that had changed so much, and he struggled to adjust. The support he needed—socially, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—just wasn’t there. When you go to prison as a teen and come out as an adult, life is not the same anymore. There should have been programs to help him adapt, therapy to help him heal, and resources for young men like him to find their way. Unfortunately, those supports were missing, and the system failed my son.

Recently, my son passed away in prison at the age of 28. The prison reported his death as medical, but we have concerns and are waiting for autopsy results to learn more. Losing him has been devastating, and I am now facing the overwhelming costs of his funeral without any insurance, as well as legal expenses as we search for answers and justice. I am reaching out for help because I want to give my son the dignity he deserves and to honor his memory. Any support you can offer means the world to me and my family. Thank you for reading our story and for standing with us during this incredibly difficult time.