‘Today, I’m all about wanting to save lives’
“I’m not trying to be a role model. I’m trying to be a real model.”
“I used to be a pimp. I used to be a drug dealer. I used to be a gangbanger. I used to be a robber; it didn’t matter whether it was banks or other drug dealers. I’m a three-time loser. That’s a slang word. Anybody who’s ever been to prison, or is from the streets, knows that.
“TDC allows people to be rehabilitated if you have the desire to become rehabilitated. But you cannot go down there playing, because you can lose your life. Or you can come back out not fit for society and fall right back into that cycle. If that’s the case, then you’re holding no space for people who want to change. You’ve got one life to live. You need to decide if you’re going to live it right.
“I’ve been out about 10 years. God’s been good to me. He’s been great. I’ve been spreading the word, allowing people to see how my life has changed.
“People will bump into me and say, ‘Hey, man, is that you? I thought you were …’ They see the new me now. And if they start saying they want me to do something, I’ll tell them, ‘Hold on. Don’t start planting those bad seeds. But how are you doing today, man?’ I read them, good and evil.
“Today, I’m all about wanting to save lives. I want to help lives. I’m not trying to be a role model. I’m trying to be a real model. God bless.”
— Tony Brooks, 41
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