“After 21 years of prison, I got my compassion back for human beings and respect for family. You find truth within yourself. I never knew the hurt and pain I caused until I sat in front of a victim.”

“I never realized how much a stranger could love me. You all looked beyond the bad and the ugly. This changes people. Bridges To Life put a face on forgiveness.”

“This is the first time in my life that I felt remorse and I am 60 years old. I wrote my letter to my daughter and she wrote me back – 15 pages.”

“In prison I was taught to be hard and have no compassion. Now I understand what a victim is. I hate to see you all leave. Bridges has helped me. I know I am a regular person now. It’s taught me how to love again.”

“You have planted the seed – now I have to water it with obedience to God. What I liked best about the program was that because of the trust that was developed through our small groups we were all able to be very open and honest with each other and most importantly with ourselves.”

“This program helped me more than you will ever know. I could have been on death row or had a life sentence if I would have took it a step further with my crime. Don’t stop doing this program. It does help those who don’t want to keep doing wrong and I am one of those people. We will meet again and it won’t be in here and I won’t be doing wrong.”

“This program has given me a view of people that I have never had before. No longer is a store just a store; it’s a place where a real person is, someone who would become a victim.”

“There is a lot of good people in prison who have truthfully repented of their past and really need the love and concern this program offers and also they need to hear how the victims suffer and are affected.”

“Bridges To Life showed me how to treat and respect people. I now know that I have victims. I promise that I will be a man and a father.”

“These Bridges To Life volunteers have brought me a new way of life . . . counseling in the heart. They made my heart cry. I’ve been blessed to meet these people.”

“I have spent 20 years in prison for murder. No words can describe what Bridges To Life has done for me.”

“I never realized the pain I caused that pharmacist when I held a gun up to his head. This program broke me down. I know now what I’ve done to my victims.”

“Bridges To Life to me is reconciliation with society…facing victims who we have harmed. I was blind to hurting people. At first, I was in denial about the harm I did to people.”

“ I have been incarcerated for 30 “flat” years of my life within TDC. I have never saw any program that came close to this one in the area of enlightenment in my life.”

“This program has meant a lot to me. It’s opened doors that have been sealed for years. I just want you to know that your time hasn’t been a waste of time. I love each and every one of you for being the person you are.”

“What I received most was feeling trusted and able to trust. Honesty and caring, able to express feelings and not hold any tears back. Able to feel my guilt and pain remorse and sorrow for the first time. And not be judged, just supported.”

“When I first saw the sign-up sheet on the board I was skeptical because I’m a Jewish inmate who feels that prison only allows certain programs to religion. This program was perfect for me because of my religion. I didn’t have to feel uncomfortable in that aspect which allowed me to be open and honest with my group.”

“Luke 6:37-38. Missing group was like missing a family reunion. How this group helped me so much. I put his mother [of the man he murdered] through so much pain. I put myself back here. If I would have gone home before Bridges To Life I would have come back. Writing the letters was one of the best parts.”

“It helped me contact my family. I got out [of prison] and just repeated the anger and hurt. It is hard for me to accept forgiveness. Bridges To Life taught me how to receive forgiveness.”