Voices of Hope – Fazil L.

“When I was 13 years old, my mom was murdered in front of me. After that I was forced to take care of my brothers and sisters, and it felt like it was just me against the world. Hurt people hurt people, so I ended up spending 25 years in prison from the age of 17 to 41. During that time, I learned to stop blaming everyone else. I was determined that I was going to make history and make the most of my second chance.

“Everyone getting out has the same mentality of finding a job and a somewhere to stay. And when people fail at finding housing or a job, and so many do, they of course end up going back. That’s why Operation New Hope is so great. The support and training they provide helped me find someplace safe to stay while I got the skills needed to find a good job. I completed the Ready4Work program back in September 2018, and I now am working for Trulite Glass in Orlando. My job is great. My boss just told me the other day that he sees how everyone looks up to me, and he knows I’m meant for something bigger.

“My whole life has been completely transformed because of Operation New Hope. I never had any real opportunities in my life before I met Mr. Ronnie Cage in prison and was given the opportunity to attend his InsideOut Dads course. What he taught me about being a father was so good that I signed up to take the class a second time! Mr. Cage taught me about character, attitude, and careful judgement, and those tools he gave me have changed my life.

“I have to keep leading by example. I coach kids and give back at home to the Miami rescue mission. It’s my mission to motivate people to do the right thing because I’ve been there. My biggest dream is to work for Operation New Hope one day and sharing my story is just the start of that!”