What Inspired Me While I was Doing a 25 Year Sentence

I met Michael Santos in prison for the first time at FCC Fort Dix, shortly after I got transferred there in 1999. I had a similar case to his, we were both drug dealers, and we were both sentenced to multiple decades of imprisonement in the federal Bureau of Prisons. I had been flirting with the idea of college, despite my incarceration, and even though I was already taking courses through correspondence, Mike hammered into me the importance of getting an education, improving myself and doing everything possible, everyday, to be prepared for my eventual release back to society.

He was an inspiration to me becasue at this time he already had multiple college degrees while I was still chasing my Associates. It had been five years so far and still no degree. It was time to get busy. Time to start preparing for my future. Time to get serious about life.

I started preperation for my life, post-prison, around 2002 in earnest. Even though I didn’t get out until the beginning of 2015. I was with Mike almost 2 years and his lessons rubbed off to my ultimate benefit. I can’t lie, I was a very hardheaded dude and debated with Michael on many issues, but eventually I came to accept his vision and make it my own.

That is why I am contributing to Earning Freedom. I always tell people that I took all Mike’s courses, lessons, talks. Except I didn’t do it through a book, or a podcast, or a study guide. I absorbed the positive messages and outlook he had while jogging the track with him, working out in the gym and walking around the buildings at Fort Dix.

We were always in motion. But talking and trading ideas. I was growing and learning and in that regard Mike helped me tremendously. He sold me on the concept of earning freedom and setting goals and accomplishing them. Not to say I wasn’t headed in the right direction, but he set the trail and I was determined to follow in his footsteps.