Bridges to Life Restorative Justice Program
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- John Sage
Founder & Executive Director - Connie Hilton
Northeast Texas Regional Coordinator - Deborah Hartman
Central Texas Regional Coordinator - Margarita "Margie" Blazier
Bryan Regional Coordinator - Marie Babin
Southeast Regional Coordinator - Lucy Murray
Waco Regional Coordinator - Beverly Barnes
Houston Project Coordinator - Kimberly Gibbs
San Antonio Regional Coordinator - Melissa Simon
Development Director & Ft. Bend County Project Coordinator
Bridges to Life Staff
John Sage was born and raised in Houston, John graduated from St. Thomas High School. He attended Louisiana State University where he graduated with a BS degree in Finance and a Masters degree in Business Administration. John was a three year letterman for the LSU Football team and was Defensive Captain in 1970. He also earned All-SEC honors as a defensive tackle. After graduation from LSU, John served a short time on active duty in the U.S. Army, Armor Division, and subsequently was honorably discharged from the Army Reserve with the rank of Captain.
John has been married to his wife Frances for 37 years and they have two sons, John and Hunter, ages 28 and 29.
Most of John’s professional life has been spent in the real estate and financial areas of business. He was partner in Sage Land Company and was principal owner of John Sage & Co., an NASD securities broker/dealer firm.
In 1993, John’s younger sister, Marilyn, was murdered. The two killers were apprehended and subsequently sentenced to the death penalty. After several years of trauma, rage, and grief, this life changing experience inspired John to found Bridges To Life in an effort to empower victims and rehabilitate prisoners. Bridges To Life searches for and embraces victims of violent crime, who are often broken by their pain, grief, and rage.
The primary mission of Bridges To Life is to connect communities to prisons in an effort to reduce the recidivism rate of offenders and hereby effect a consequent reduction in crime in Texas. Under John’s leadership, Bridges To Life has experienced significant growth, currently utilizing over 300 volunteers participating in programs in twenty-two Texas prisons.
Bridges to Life Book
Restoring Peace – Using Lessons From Prison to Mend Broken Relationships details the principles used in the Bridges To Life program, combined with actual stories from victim and inmate participants. The book is intended for repairing or improving relationships with others.
Victim Comments
“The first thing that victims must do is learn to live again. This program helps them to accept that change and learn to live and trust again.”
Inmate Comments
“The best part about this program is the small group setting which allows both victim and inmate to be open and honest with one another and the trust, confidence that is built through these groups.”