“Before I went to state jail, I knew that two of these tattoos were affiliated with gangs. The dog paw print is for the Bloods. The star is for Tango Blast. But I was never gang affiliated. That’s never been my M.O. “They told me, … Continue readingGang tattoos lead to jail confrontations
“In my 24 years, I’ve been to state jail twice. The first time, I was 16 or 17. My mother had three other kids to worry about. I started hanging around with the wrong people. Started making some decisions I shouldn’t have made. I ended … Continue readingStaying strong key to surviving in jail
“We lived in a house in Spring with no neighbors around us. We were there since I was born, so a good 16 years. It was me, my mom, my dad, a younger brother and a sister. “We were renting from this company, and they … Continue readingHe tries his best, following friend’s suicide
“I was 18 at the time we met, and he was 28. So I didn’t really get to experience many things that other people experience before getting into a relationship. Like dating and just doing different things as a single person. “I feel like I … Continue reading‘I feel like this time, it’s really forever’
“I’m a big fan of Patti LaBelle. It’s not just her voice. It’s the positive effect that her songs have on people. “When I found out she was going to perform near Houston, I was like, I’ve got to get a front row seat. It … Continue readingPatti LaBelle fan enjoys ‘experience of a lifetime’
“One of my favorite songs is ‘The Change’ by Garth Brooks. Basically, the lyrics say, I might not be able to change the world. But if I start with one person at a time, maybe I can make a difference. I feel that’s life for … Continue readingSinger tries to spread positivity
(3 of 3) “I’m a person who never put his seat belt on. Even from a young age. I don’t know why. I just never have. I just wish I did that day I had the accident. I would still be fine. “But I’m OK. … Continue reading‘Up and leaving him was never on my radar’
(2 of 3) “I was an alcoholic for many years. I’m not blaming it on Pedro. He had to move around for his work as a pipefitter. We were away from each other a lot, until I started traveling with him. When I was in … Continue reading‘My number one gift to my family is my sobriety’
(1 of 3) “It was a Sunday morning seven years ago. We were getting ready for church. We began going about three weeks earlier. We had both been sober for those three weeks. In fact, Pedro had just gotten baptized. We were on the right … Continue reading‘I knew something was terribly wrong’
“My parents were immigrants from the tiny island of Saint Lucia. They came to Baytown in the late ‘70s. We were very poor. We lived in a trailer park. I was the last of three kids. My mom had a home birth, so I was … Continue readingShe overcomes bullying to prove others wrong