“There were times that I wanted to go back [to prison] because I didn't think I could make it out here. But the grace of God, man, it saw me through it all.” —Derrick
When 10-year-old Derrick Ervin came home early from family vacation, he knew something was going on. Then he learned the news that changed his life forever: His father had died unexpectedly.
The sudden loss of his father devastated Derrick. He remembers how the pain overcame him. “I’ll never forget going into my bedroom that particular day when I found out, and I just let out this loud cry. I remember saying to myself, ‘I’ll never hurt again. No one will ever hurt me again."
Then, when Derrick was 21, his mother died of a brain tumor.
Heartbroken and angry at God, Derrick realized his past wounds had never healed. Soon he was hiding a double life, dealing drugs. He convinced himself he was providing for his family at all costs. Before long, he was staring down a long sentence for offenses related to dealing large amounts of cocaine. When the judge spoke the words “life without parole,” Derrick heard a loud cry across the courtroom. It was his oldest son, who was 10, the same age Derrick was when his father died. He remembered being that 10-year-old boy crying out in his bedroom. Now, his own son was about to lose his father to the prison system.
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