His story was interesting considering the fact how he turned his life around. Its sad he followed in his father footsteps as far as the drug path but a lot of people seem to do that since thats all they see when they are growing up so they tend to think its okay or normal. He also mentioned how his mom was trying to keep his family together even though she knew about the problems that was going on in the household. To me 15 is so young to be on drugs its sad that he even knew about those hardcore drugs at 15. I don't know if I was sheltered all my life or what but at 15 I didn't know anything about drugs maybe because nobody in my family did them but I didn't know about drugs till I got older. Theres probably tons of kids that went through the same thing only difference is he is not in jail he is able to come see people and talk about his past and try to help others. I think he is the best person to do the job he have. I feel like he is very passionate about his job because he know how it feel to be on the other side of the table. I also feel like the people he help probably respect him more since they know he been through the same thing they are going through. He also mentioned how he does follows up with people which is another way that the people can know they have someone that care about them because he don't have to check up with anyone and he do anyway which is another way how they can tell they have someone in there corner with them and some people need someone like that to do better in life. -jollyrancher711
Angel's Story was sad and inspiring. His story was very touching from the very beginning to the very end. In my eyes, Angel is a very heart filled and a very passionate person who loves their job and would do anything for the person they care about. You could very much tell that Angel has been through a lot of pain and he truly means the best for people, from when he gets up in the morning till he rests his head at night. Angel was telling us his childhood and everything that had happened to him and from what I can tell he said it with such meaning that he really experienced traumatic events and it is part of who he is and what he does today. He then proceeded to tell us about his middle age years and that's really when he started to understand life better. I am really happy that I got a chance to meet with Angel Because he really opened my eyes to the further side of incarceration and what really happens when people are released from prison after a long incarceration. He started to tell us about what he did to help the community and the government, for example when he had to talk to someone that was incarcerated instead of telling the person off he insisted on helping them even if they didn't know how to ask him for it, He always pushed to help people and I believe that Angel is truly a person of good being. I believe that Angel will definitely continue to push people and to help people. He really showed me not to just the surface on being in the Criminal Justice Network but really showed how to make yourself great at your job and be a great person so that you would want someone to remember you and follow the way you did things. Angel did say something that will probably stick with me for the rest of my life and that is "1. Keep you alive, 2. Keep you safe, 3. Out of prison". He made a great point on how to connect with someone. He also proved a point on no matter your past if you set your mind to something you will be great at it. Angel, Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me -Z33 711
Angels story was exactly what I needed to hear. First, he started with his life story which started very tragic and sad. You would never know talking to him on the streets or looking at him that he was addicted to heroin at the early age of just fifteen. He looks like your average successful joe. However, he’s not he came from a broken home, he was a rationally irrational offender as I would call it because he would purposely commit crime because at one point he truly believed he belonged in a prison cell and really tried and failed to get into one. Him wanting to go to prison really threw me off guard. But he had a turning point in his life where he got the help he wanted and needed at the T-Challenge where he said he spent twenty-two months. After that he began to help others that were like him and eventually landed a job with the Police Department that he felt like he shouldn’t have and wasn’t qualified for; but he has shown that he is the man for the job. And although Angel’s story touched me it was what he told us about our future professions that really touched me and that I really needed to hear. When my friends ask me why I want to be a police officer I always say, “because I want to help people” and they always ask how a cop that hands out fines and tickets for little things like speeding is going to help people. My goal is to be the community cop that Angel described in his lecture/presentation today. That’s how I’m going to help people in my profession. I’ll send recidivist to people like Angel to receive the help they need and want, and I’ll try to only lock up the people that really need locked up. I’ll park my squad car next to a park basketball court and hoop with the kids there and I’ll try to truly make the people in my community feel safer when they see me and my squad car instead of having the fear that most feel today when they see an officer. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do and that is what Angel taught me how to do today. – RickyBobby711
His story was very motivating and eye opening. It affected me in so many different ways. To see that he started out with basically nothing and no one to look to for guidance and to end up where he is today is unbelievable. It was difficult to hear that almost if not all of his family was addicted to some type of drug early in his childhood. I could not believe it when he said he was addicted to drugs at the age of 15, and the fact that he overdosed and had it not been close to a hospital he would not have been there to tell his story that he can tell today. I liked his story because it is not everyday that someone who grew up with nothing and was in and out of jail completely turn their whole life around and be able to get a job and live a normal life. I also like the fact of how in the job interview, there were so many more people with degrees and and proper schooling, over some guy who moved from Chicago with nothing. But even with all of the odds against him, and the fact that he did not really want the job to begin with, he still beat everyone who had been selected to be interviewed. Without him here today I do not really know if all of the people that he has helped over the years would have gotten the same help and be in the same spot they are today. He has helped so many people turn their lives around and be a productive member of society instead of being locked up in prison. I am sure that a lot of people respect him for what he done and especially the people he has helped, I know that they thank him a lot for getting them out of the trouble that they were in. -crispychicken711
Angel’s story was very inspiring and motivational. Not everyday you run into someone who used to be a drug offender and now has completely changed their lives around for the better. His story reminded me of a story that would pop up on my Facebook page where everyone keeps sharing it because it is so inspirational. After, he gave is story, it made me feel like I needed to go out in the world and make a difference and help others change for the good. And that is one reason why I chose criminal justice as a career choice. My goal in life is to help as many people as I can, whether it’s helping them by saving their life, or its by locking someone up so they can become a better person and not harm others. Angel kept saying over and over “leave a legacy” and that is definitely my mission. Hearing someone that had nothing and succeeded to the top of self-actualization (like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr.) is so refreshing and gives such a push to become a better version of yourself. Because it is possible to reach your highest goal. Having a program and a facility that is open for offenders that have just gotten out of prison or jail is such a great idea. It can help the past offenders get back up on their feet to better themselves so they don’t end up in the same place they came from. And the more this occurs the less offenders we will have. Most inmates that are incarcerated have either already been incarcerated or will be as soon as their first time is up. When the finally get out, they have nothing and normally their family and friends have abandoned them. Their house has gone to the bank because they didn’t pay their bills, someone stole their stuff because they lived on the wrong side of town. Their car got stolen because someone heard they were in jail. They come out having absolutely nothing, and they have no idea where to start or where to begin. Therefore, they want to end up back in prison or jail because then they have clothes on their back, a place to stay, and three meals a day where it is either arm or cold. Angel’s story really encouraged me to keep doing what I want to pursue as a career and conquer it so I leave a legacy and won't be forgotten. ProbdrinkingStar$’s711
The story about Angel was real inspiring to me. I enjoy every little thing he had to tell us about his life and how he grew to change. he mentioned that when he was little he had a disfunction family, his mom had to take care of the family and his dang was addicted to heroin. He then watches his father have a over dose on the drugs but he didn’t die and just seeing that he got addicted to drugs at the age of 15. I feel like the way you grow up in a house hold will influence you to live that kind of life style. Which sucks because bad things can happen to child because of the family or the guardian. He mentions that he was in and out of jail, but wanted to do hard time in jail just to escape the world because it was hard not having no one. If you don’t have any help when getting out of prison or jail you are more likely to go back because you are going to do anything in your power to survive, which is any human being. So, if you use to sell drugs before going to jail then your going to go back to doing that so you can make money. He then wanted to change his life for the better so he so he got help. After getting the help he needed he was 18 years clean from drugs. Which was good and he got a good paying job and something he likes to do. he said that he thought he wasn’t going to get the job but I’m glad that they looked beyond his past and gave him it. a lot of jobs should start doing that because some people actually change.-babyblue711
When he was talking about his story, it was very inspiring. He represents that anyone can make a difference even if you have had a rough past. He had a rough childhood and when he was talking about what he does, it’s awesome. Helping people and their families is something that I would love to do. He helps people get their lives together and he helps people see their families again and that’s one of the many things that can make a difference. Helping people get back into the community is something that we should strive for. He said that there are three things he always does for his clients. He wants to keep them alive, safe, and out of prison. I think those three things are awesome and those are three things that everyone in the field should remember. He brought up some good points on how the media has portrayed law enforcement in a bad way. I agree with that and I feel like everyone today doesn't really like cops because of the media. You can’t trust the media anymore because the media is not always honest and it can make it look like one thing and it’s really something else. The main goal is to reduce recidivism. Try and help people to not relapse. Knocking on someone's door every day shows that people involved in law enforcement really do care. He mentioned something about how there are people who should be locked up and there are people who should not be locked up. I agree with that statement. People who have a drug addiction should be getting help and treatment. They should have someone helping them through the process. They should have someone helping them get on their feet. People who have done drugs in the past or even smoked know that addiction is tough. They know that resisting it is tough and when they don't give in, that makes them a stronger person. I really liked the presentation he gave. I liked the points that were made and I liked listening to him talk about what he does and how he has helped people. The word is very negative today, listening to positive stories makes the day different in a good way. -Soccer31711
I absolutely love how Doc has guest speakers come and talk to us because everyone gives us a dose of reality. Angel was so genuinely honest and forward with how his life was and is today. He came from such low grounds, his father being consumed with drugs and his mother trying so hard to keep his family together, he was getting abused. He said his freshman year of high school was when he overdosed, at school. He was in and out of treatment centers and jails and then finally admitted he had a problem at 31 years old and wanted to make a change. He said he was, "living a life of destruction". He entered the teen challenge program for 22 months. He had a child but the child's mother did not want him therefore he was a ward of the state. In 2009 he came to south Peoria working with people needing help. In 2011 and 2012 he had worked on a detox unit and then the elite re-entry program. He currently has a clientele of 60 men and 5 of those clients have their kids back, working and came from absolutely nothing, even having no identification. Angel will follow up with them, their jobs, keeps track of his people, been sober for 18 years and he learned everything on his own. There was no one there to hold his hand and guide him or tell him what he needed to do. Peoria Police officers approached him and wanted him to interview for a job posting they had open and he did not want to do it, he was happy where he was at. He said he was super hesitant and went in and interviewed with the mindset he was not going to get it anyways but they called him and here he is today working for them 1 year and a few months later. Angel says there are three things in law enforcement that we can do and ask ourselves how to help people. Keep you alive, keep you safe, keep you out of prison. Establish a relationship with our community, it is crucial. He told us to protect the integrity of our name and ourselves. Angel really did help me understand the importance of community relations but also to look at people differently. Working on the cities ambulance I deal with people that overdose or are on something. It is hard sometimes to stop and look at the fact they need help because it is so easy to say, "oh here we have to go check out john doe again". He was super impressive and I am glad we have someone like himself working for this city. -notacop711
Angel’s story was very sad but uplifting. It was amazing to hear how he changed his whole life around and to see where he's at now. First, he grew up with a drug addict father and his mother was addicted to his father. His mother always tried to keep the family together. Angel was use to walking into the bathroom with his father on the floor with a needle in his arm. He had no one to tell him right from wrong. Angel said when his family had trouble’s they would just run to drugs. That's all angel knew so at the age of 15 angel was addicted to drugs. He was in and out of jail but never served hard time in prison. All together he’s been in and out of jail for 3 years. Angel said when he was younger he has always wanted to serve years at a prison just to see how it was and to basically stay safe and he knew that if he was in prison he would get fed, have somewhere to sleep and have no bills or anything to worry about. Then after so many years of that, at the age of 31 he decided to change his life around. He went to rehab for awhile and then eventually got a job and decided to move to illinois and joined a program to help kids who experienced the kinds of things he did. Now he works for the peoria police department. Honestly, he didn't think he would get the job when he had his interviews. He didn't have a highschool diploma and only worked a few jobs that were not major. He then became the first x offender to be hired that is an hispanic citizen. He learned everything by himself and like he said it was a culture shock. There are 3 things Angel says you should always think about when helping someone: how to keep them alive, keep them safe and keep them out of prison. Angel says divine intervention and life experiences made him who he is today. He truly wants to help people and cares because he didn't have that in his life. -ny711
When you listen in on a story where a person literally hit rock bottom is always an inspiring one. Listening to “A” speak was very intriguing, at a young age “A” had seen a lot of wrong doing and raised up in a predicament where it was a struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While growing up in the predicament he came across some stuff where it was normal for him to see. So, through all that, then came his addiction, opioid academic is at a all time right now. But without being an addict I know that leaving that behind is a tough situation and “A” did it for a super long time, and that cause destruction between is mother to the point where she didn’t want him in the house because of his problem. I Applaud and give the most upright respect to “A” because today he is a changed man in so many ways, that he is a good remodel for young kids going through the same thing in which “A” went through spiritually and professionally and personally. “A” works in the police department but the crazy thing is with him knowing that becoming a employed by the police department they prefer citizen who’ve shied away from trouble in all type of ways, during his story “A” stated that he never seen himself doing the job in which he is doing today, and that in fact he filled what he wanted to fill out on the application hoping and praying that they wasn’t going to pick him, basically thinking negatively. Which end up turning out in his favor so that right there is a story where at a point in time when you thought your life was over because of mistakes made in the past isn’t really down the drain because everyone is a human and every human isn’t perfect, now “A” is out here being a spokesman for those who don’t know what to do or how to survive once they enter back into society from being incarcerated for how many ever years. Statechamp711
Angels life story is an good example of no matter where you come from and how many hardships you have faced, with hard work you can have success in life. Angel came from a dysfunctional family, he saw drugs being abused such as heroin. Being exposed to that Angel became addicted to heroin at the age young age of 15. Through out the years he was in and out of rehab and jail. He ended up serving a total amount of 3 years in county jail. Even though he had spent time in jail, Angel wanted to know what a 10 to 15 year sentence felt like. He wanted to go away and not have to have responsibility. By the time he was 31 he finally admitted that he had a problem and he sought out help. He entered T-challenge for 22 months. In 2009 Angel came to Peoria to work. In 2011 he worked at Procter hospital to help people who were addicted to drugs. Angel is so good at his job that the police call him when they need help with people who are addicted to drugs. Five of his worst clients that he has had are now productive members of society. With his success in his field he was offered a job at the Peoria Police department. Angel was the first offender to be hired by the Peoria police department. We need more people like Angel out there in the world. The recidivism rate is at 68 percent, if those people could have gotten help they might have stayed out of jail. Even worse the prison population is over 2 million people. As Angel stated people need to be locked up but some might have just need help. If these people could have gotten the help they could be out there in the world being a productive human being. -ClarkKent711
Having Angel in as a guest speaker truly was an awe-inspiring lecture. His life experiences that he shared with us really make me appreciate/realize how good I had it growing up. To start things off, he told us that as a kid, he suffered severe abuse- pretty much anything and everything you could imagine. When he told us that he used to wake up in the middle of the night to find his father passed out in the bathroom with a needle in his arm and had to check if he was still alive, I was heartbroken imagining myself in those shoes- I am pretty seriously certain I wouldn’t be where I am today, let alone be where Angel has made it to, had I lived the live he had up until his 30’s. At age 15, he became a heroin addict and overdosed at his high school as a freshman. He said that he barely lived, and probably wouldn’t have had he not been right across the street from the local hospital. Something he said that surprised me was that he said he always had a really strong desire to serve a long prison sentence. To me, this doesn’t make sense but his reasoning for it does explain it quite a bit- he said he wanted to know what it was like to serve hard time- he also wanted to have no bills to pay, have consistent meals and a place to sleep. Finally, at age 31, his life of destruction started to take a turn down a different road- this was the age that he finally realized he wanted to get help and start doing something productive with his life. He joined a teen challenge program and participated in it for 22 months. Upon completing the program, he had nowhere to go- his mother didn’t want him and he didn’t have a job to get his own place. This is when he decided to join the teen challenge group as a volunteer to help others with the problems he had had for so long. To this day, he has been sober for 18 years. He said one of the biggest struggles he faced around this time was learning how to deal with himself, hang out with himself, and how to work with successful people who had life plans and were doing things with their lives since day 1. Although I could elaborate much more about what all was said during the class period, I would like to talk about a couple other things before ending this blog. Something that was a very big topic of concern for Angel was how bad recidivism rates have been over the past decades. He said one of the biggest things he tries to accomplish on a daily basis is offering help to anybody and everybody who contacts him or even just wants help. Even those who don’t want the help, he will gladly let them know he will always be there should they change their minds. This was a big thing to me- it made me realize how much I would love to help those people like who Angel does. I would rather help them turn their lives around and see the progression of their life turn around than send them back to prison, if it can be avoided. The last thing I wanted to mention was how he said the view on not only police, but all law enforcement, has become due to the negative media. He said the side of cop cars says often say “to serve and to protect,” but they should say “we have to protect ourselves first, then serve those who want to be served.” This makes me furious with how the media has become this attention-starved animal that will say anything and everything that will get the most attention and concerned viewers. GMan219711
I hadn't met Angel until last Thursday but I already have a tremendous amount of respect for the man. Listening to his life story, I was amazed. I could have never imagined growing up in an environment like that. He had it rough. He mentioned his father was a heroin addict when he was a young boy. That would be very hard on me. I see my father as a role model. I have always looked up to my dad, growing up, and to know Angel didn't have a dad in his life, to play football with him, help him do his homework, help him grow into a man, it breaks my heart. He never had a loving home life. He was physically abused at a young age, and all of that caused him to become addicted to heroin himself. All his life he was in and out of jail, and treatment. All together Angel had 3 years total of county jail. Angel decided to come to Peoria from Chicago in 2009. He wanted to better himself for his well being, and for his life. He wanted change. He had no family at that point. He started working at a Peoria treatment facility in 2009 as a first shift supervisor. He did that up until 2011, until he went on to work at Proctor Hospital.in 2012 he went on to become Director of Elite recovery program and got his GED. Since 2016 Angel has acceled in the Peoria Police Department, helping the individuals on the streets, who need help with drugs, and staying out of trouble. I could tell as he was talking to us, that he really cares about these people, and will go to great lengths to get them to understand that. I shook Angels hand after he spoke to us, because his story really touched me, and it made me realize a lot of us have it better than others, and we can not take anything for granted. I hope to see Angel again. -Bearsfan98
Angel story was very interesting! He talked about how his life was basically over at a young age watching his entire family cope with their problems by using heroin made him think that was the proper way to handle hios promlem and seeing his mom basically destroy her self by trying to keep their family together then seeing his dad die. Just someone simply believing in him and him wanting better for himself his life had did an entire u-turn. That's really all it takes is for someone to really believe in you and for a freak accident happen for you to realize that you need to get your life together and not only for you but for your loves one and those that care about you. He realized the things he was doing wasn’t going to get him nowhere in life. Ashe slowly got himself together and reached out for help he got a job he would’ve never thought in a million years he would get and as time went by he was moving up and life and now is in the position to tel his story without feeling any type of way and he’s giving back to his community and helping those that’s in the situation he was once a LONG time ago in. Angel didn’t have anything higher than a GED but here he is today acceled in the Peoria Police Department being more than a helping hand to many of those that need the love and support because he know how it feel being in and out of jail with no support or nobody to look up to or talk to for the proper advice he need to get through life without being dead, in jail, or on the streets so he making sure those that need help gets help.-KenzieLand711
This man has lived and experienced much. He grew up in Chicago on the rough side of town. His father was addicted to heroin. His mother was addicted to his father. He lacked the guidance he needed to be successful. At the age of fifteen he overdosed on heroin. Through his life he went in and out of prison and treatments. Then at the age of thirty-one he realized that he had to do something different with his life. He spent twenty-two months serving at a teen challenge. Through this job, he was able to make a difference. From 2009 to 2011 he was the manager to this out reach. Following his time as manager, he was hired at Proctor Hospital, where he was a case manager for people who have the disease of addiction. Through this job, he had a greater out reach to more people who needed help; he was making a difference in the community. He enjoyed this position greatly. A few of his friends were police. They convinced him to apply for a job working with the police department to help the people who truly want help. He did not want to apply, he enjoyed working through Proctor Hospital. Plus, the job his friends wanted him to apply to required more education than what he had. The only things he had to offer the police department was a GED, life experience and passion. Even so, the department requested he be interviewed. There were ten other people who had interviewed before he did; he was the last. All the other candidates had more education than he did, but the department wanted him to be interviewed once more. Needless to say, within two days he got the job. He had a strong passion to help people who needed help, where the others lacked in that area. This story is sobering. I truly enjoyed listening to it. He was given a rough life, but he used his experiences it to better others. This story is truly motivational. We should all try to impact our community in a positive way. We have the power to change lives, let’s not wasted it. ~CoalRoller711
Listening to his story was very inspiring. He starts out with how his father was addicted to heroin. As time when on, and being where he is from, he himself became addicted to heroin by the age of 15. His first overdose was in his freshman year of high school. He had been in and out of jail for a few years. When deciding to get treatment for his addiction. After getting treatment, he had nowhere to go after treatment. So he volunteered in various places that dealt with addiction recovery and re-entry programs for people who were re-entering society after prison time. He told his story about how he had to become sober on his own. He was inspiring to me because of the way he turned his life around after being addicted to drugs for so long. Also how he showed the human side of police without the social media. Growing up, he said, that the police had a relationship with the neighborhood where he lived. Now a days, with social media, people rush to judgement about police with how they are represented on television and online. I also liked that he said that there needs to be respect on both sides. Also, what I found inspiring about him was how people become addicted and why it’s so hard for people who are addicted to ask for help. People all over the country are addicted, on the edge of becoming addicted, or dead because of drug use. Some do want help, but do not know how to ask for it, thus making the problem worse than it originally was in the first place. Whether it’s losing a job or family, if you end up in prison you might lose both. Finally, what I found really inspiring is that his story shows that no matter your background or what your history is, you can turn your life around if you really want to. –Adventureflight711
It’s surreal to think about people that actually grow up in these situations let alone hear it first hand from someone who lived it. It's such a motivating story to heard that know matter where you come from you can live a successful life. I couldn’t imagine how different the norm is when all you know is living in chicago with heroin addicted father and it being normal to walk into the bathroom finding him unconscious with a needle in his arm. Also becoming a heroin addict at 15, in and out of treatment and jail for a total of 3 years all together. Then at 31 one realizing that you need to turn your life around and be the person you know you wanted to be and do something with your life. Taking all of these different steps to make sure that you could get there and achieve what you wanted to achieve by working 1st shifts, then becoming a case manager while being 18 years sober. Now being the director of a re-entry program is so inspiring and amazing. Helping people take their first steps in the right direction so that they can have a better life and not reoffend. For making sure that they know there's someone there who cares about them and that wants to see then succeed and also that they are being supported. To hear about how you grew up and what happened to you and the things that you did to now having a such a successful life and a job that you are so passionate about is such an amazing thing. Being able and will to share your story with people is such an amazing thing and changed how I view people because you don’t know what they had to deal with growing up or the different things that they might have experienced and that you can’t judge a book by its cover. - mmmChicken711
Angels story was so inspiring, he had a very hard childhood. He had no family to support him, and no fatherly figure. His father was always in the bathroom doing heroine or passed out on the floor with heroine needles. It just so crazy because Angel said that he started using heroin as a freshman in highschool, and that's even when he had his first overdose of the drug. When I was a freshman I barely knew the difference between weed and marijuana. That Just shows you how different some kids lifestyles are. Angel was in an out of jail, and totaled about 3 years from all the time he was locked up. Angel was so addicted to drugs, that he wanted to get a long term sentence, in order for him to stop the addiction. He wanted to get that long of sentence because everytime he got out of jail, he would have nowhere to go, and he would turn right back to drugs. It just amazes me that while he was in and out of jail. It just really opened my eyes that addiction, is not a thing that you can just cold turkey and try to drop. Addiction is something that takes years to get over, and it's not an easy process. Angel then spent twenty two months in a rehab facility, and finally became sober. He ended up in Peoria in 2009. He became a case manager for addiction at proctor hospital, and then became a director of Elite Re-Entry program for drug and addiction problems. He then got a job at the peoria police department for drug and addiction rehab, he was the first person to ever be employed by the Peoria Police Department with a criminal past. It just amazes me that a man with such a rough childhood and past, became so sober and now works for a police department. There no better person for the job then Angel. He can easily relate, and knows how it is, so he can give the best advice for the user. His past life of addiction has motivated him to help people. He was like the clients he helps, and it is truly inspiring. I-Like-Cereal711
Listening to Angel speak was actually a pretty good lecture. Throughout his entire lecture the main point I received was no matter the life you grew up in, the surrounding or people will dictate the life you choose to live. One should never judge a book by his or her cover. If one was to look at Angel today he does not look like the person he once was. He doesn't look like the kid who had to fend for himself. He doesn't look like the kid who’s “dad was hooked on heroin, and mother hooked on the dad” Angel looks perfectly find. Angel is the true definition of do not let the ends justify the means. Parents play a huge part in their child's) life. Considering the fact heroin was exposed to Angel to got hooked on it. He thought it was a way to deal with everything. Angel endorsed a lot while being a child while suffering for abuse and other things he still managed to come out on top. From birth to the aged of 31 he lived he life of destructions in and out of rehabs and treatment facilities. At one point though everything changed, Angel changed his life around. He now sits on the opposite side of the table. He does for others what others in his life failed to do for him. He is now the director of something hugh. Angel is helping others get jobs and homes and most importantly gain control of their lives again. Listening to Angel speak reassured me that there are some people who want help and who want to change, they just don’t have the right people to believe in them.~Justice711
Having someone like Angel come in is such an amazing experience because i feel like a lot of people can’t relate to criminals or why they do things or how they think but when you have someone in front of you explaining there story and how they changed there life around its a really big eye opener especially in the criminal justice field i feel like its so important to understand peoples background. For myself i can relate and connect with the way he grew up and the things he has overcame and to see that he changed his life around warms my heart. Growing up in a household with an type of addict is such a struggle and i can’t imagine what it was like having to watch your mother also suffer trying to love and fight for someone using. I feel like in so many cases when you have a parent thats an addict you follow in those footsteps because you don’t know any different and don’t have any reasons why you shouldn’t. When he said that he started using heroin at 15 i was shocked because you could never tell today that he was a heroin addict but i also wasn’t surprised that he abused a drug because of the background that brought him up. I think its truly amazing that he turned his life around and everything he’s doing today. 18 years sober is such a big accomplishment, and the fact he not only is sober but he’s sober helping other people with drug problems, family problems is so great. I think it takes a lot for a person to get clean but also put themselves in positions when they could be exposed to drugs but not have that craving anymore or urge to use. Working for the Peoria P.D. and being the first offender ever working for them should make him feel very proud of himself and everything he’s worked for these past 18 years. I like that he brought up the problem with social media and officers because i see this daily and it makes my skin crawl, i just read a comment yesterday someone saying they got a speeding ticket and someone comments on it and said “F*** the cops they are always looking for someone” i so badly wanted to comment but instead i decided i wasn’t going to argue with someone who was so ignorant. With that being said its such a big problem the way we put down officers on social media and talk about them instead of having relationships with our law enforcement officers, they should be the people we turn to when somethings wrong. -momx3
From being a fifteen year old kid having the drug issues that he did as a kid, to becoming the first ex offender ever hired by the Police department is such an amazing transformation. A true inspiration. Many people could never turn their lives around in a way that he did. I am very fortunate to have parents who were able to get out of the situations that they were in as kids and giving me the opportunities that a lot of people do not get the chance to do, and having their guidance. Something else that I found really awesome about his story was that he said he was 31 years old when he decided that he needed to do something to change and turn his life around. There are a lot of people out there that have a set plan on what they want to do for the rest of their lives and how they intend to get there. There are also people like me that just do not know exactly what they want to do and are just playing the field. 31 is not old by anymeans but it just shows that there is always room to restart some things in life and still be a successful person. It is just good to see that there are people out there like him to try to not only help himself in the ways that he did but now wants to help other people do the same things. A lot of people in even in criminal justice I think would not like to always be the guy that everyone comes to for help or is responsible to go to these peoples houses to make sure they are going to work and taking care of themselves because he cares. It is good to see that is still there in some people like him. Caring for people even when it seemed like no one cared about him when he was younger, or no one could help him. -Steel711
Given Angels past life it is very inspiring to see him where he is now. His story shows how even if you start out in a life of disfunction and abuse, even if you are being in and out of jail for years you can still turn your life around. He had struggled with drugs and was in and out of jails for like a total of three years. He not only has turned his life around but strives to help turn many others life around as well. Hr really made it clear how easy it is for people to get caught up in the things in their environment. Also made it clear on why so many people get incarcerated and that is because when they get out they are put back into that same environment and its easier to go back to prison than struggle to get a job or even find a place to stay. When someone leaves prison they usually have nothing to go back to and they really don't have any money so thats why its easier to fall back to old ways that usually makes the end back up in prison. He also made it clear that if we can get to the child that struggling before they do any serious damage and end up in prison we can not only cut down on prison population but save a lot of money in the process. We need a lot of volunteers and we need to focus on helping the youth stay out and help the people who are released out of prison to stay out by helping them get back to the communities and help them get a job, housing. -pizza711
Angels story really had a pretty profound affect on me. I got into criminal justice because I’ve always wanted to serve my community but I never knew exactly how it was I wanted to serve. The obvious thing seemed to be getting into law enforcement and being a police officer but he’s made me think perhaps there’s another area in the criminal justice world I could be a part of. Hearing his story, it’s really amazing to me he ended up where he is. I think a lot of times people don’t view drug addiction as the disease that it is, for someone to overcome that especially from the age of 15 that’s pretty remarkable. Then not only did he get help and get better he is spreading it around and helping others do the same thing. I’ve met a lot of people in my life that are good people but for whatever reason keep falling into the same trap over and over again, I’m glad there is someone like Angel out there helping them and hopefully maybe I’ll have an opportunity to do that as well. I liked how talked about our relationship with the police as well. Growing up in a small town I’ve always known the cops and so did everyone else and I’ve always thought that was really cool. It saddens me that we are losing that in society and hopefully we can start bringing that back. I don’t think it’s that bad everywhere but clearly it’s bad enough in enough places that something needs fixed. He’s right that we do need cops and importantly we need good cops, but it’s hard to have good cops if no one trusts them but I also think cops need to really try hard to give people a reason to trust them as well. It’s a two way street and hopefully we can figure out how to navigate that together. Avatar711
His story was interesting considering the fact how he turned his life around. Its sad he followed in his father footsteps as far as the drug path but a lot of people seem to do that since thats all they see when they are growing up so they tend to think its okay or normal. He also mentioned how his mom was trying to keep his family together even though she knew about the problems that was going on in the household. To me 15 is so young to be on drugs its sad that he even knew about those hardcore drugs at 15. I don't know if I was sheltered all my life or what but at 15 I didn't know anything about drugs maybe because nobody in my family did them but I didn't know about drugs till I got older. Theres probably tons of kids that went through the same thing only difference is he is not in jail he is able to come see people and talk about his past and try to help others. I think he is the best person to do the job he have. I feel like he is very passionate about his job because he know how it feel to be on the other side of the table. I also feel like the people he help probably respect him more since they know he been through the same thing they are going through. He also mentioned how he does follows up with people which is another way that the people can know they have someone that care about them because he don't have to check up with anyone and he do anyway which is another way how they can tell they have someone in there corner with them and some people need someone like that to do better in life. -jollyrancher711
ReplyDeleteAngel's Story was sad and inspiring. His story was very touching from the very beginning to the very end. In my eyes, Angel is a very heart filled and a very passionate person who loves their job and would do anything for the person they care about. You could very much tell that Angel has been through a lot of pain and he truly means the best for people, from when he gets up in the morning till he rests his head at night. Angel was telling us his childhood and everything that had happened to him and from what I can tell he said it with such meaning that he really experienced traumatic events and it is part of who he is and what he does today. He then proceeded to tell us about his middle age years and that's really when he started to understand life better. I am really happy that I got a chance to meet with Angel Because he really opened my eyes to the further side of incarceration and what really happens when people are released from prison after a long incarceration. He started to tell us about what he did to help the community and the government, for example when he had to talk to someone that was incarcerated instead of telling the person off he insisted on helping them even if they didn't know how to ask him for it, He always pushed to help people and I believe that Angel is truly a person of good being. I believe that Angel will definitely continue to push people and to help people. He really showed me not to just the surface on being in the Criminal Justice Network but really showed how to make yourself great at your job and be a great person so that you would want someone to remember you and follow the way you did things. Angel did say something that will probably stick with me for the rest of my life and that is "1. Keep you alive, 2. Keep you safe, 3. Out of prison". He made a great point on how to connect with someone. He also proved a point on no matter your past if you set your mind to something you will be great at it. Angel, Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me
ReplyDelete-Z33 711
Angels story was exactly what I needed to hear. First, he started with his life story which started very tragic and sad. You would never know talking to him on the streets or looking at him that he was addicted to heroin at the early age of just fifteen. He looks like your average successful joe. However, he’s not he came from a broken home, he was a rationally irrational offender as I would call it because he would purposely commit crime because at one point he truly believed he belonged in a prison cell and really tried and failed to get into one. Him wanting to go to prison really threw me off guard. But he had a turning point in his life where he got the help he wanted and needed at the T-Challenge where he said he spent twenty-two months. After that he began to help others that were like him and eventually landed a job with the Police Department that he felt like he shouldn’t have and wasn’t qualified for; but he has shown that he is the man for the job. And although Angel’s story touched me it was what he told us about our future professions that really touched me and that I really needed to hear. When my friends ask me why I want to be a police officer I always say, “because I want to help people” and they always ask how a cop that hands out fines and tickets for little things like speeding is going to help people. My goal is to be the community cop that Angel described in his lecture/presentation today. That’s how I’m going to help people in my profession. I’ll send recidivist to people like Angel to receive the help they need and want, and I’ll try to only lock up the people that really need locked up. I’ll park my squad car next to a park basketball court and hoop with the kids there and I’ll try to truly make the people in my community feel safer when they see me and my squad car instead of having the fear that most feel today when they see an officer. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do and that is what Angel taught me how to do today. – RickyBobby711
ReplyDeleteHis story was very motivating and eye opening. It affected me in so many different ways. To see that he started out with basically nothing and no one to look to for guidance and to end up where he is today is unbelievable. It was difficult to hear that almost if not all of his family was addicted to some type of drug early in his childhood. I could not believe it when he said he was addicted to drugs at the age of 15, and the fact that he overdosed and had it not been close to a hospital he would not have been there to tell his story that he can tell today. I liked his story because it is not everyday that someone who grew up with nothing and was in and out of jail completely turn their whole life around and be able to get a job and live a normal life. I also like the fact of how in the job interview, there were so many more people with degrees and and proper schooling, over some guy who moved from Chicago with nothing. But even with all of the odds against him, and the fact that he did not really want the job to begin with, he still beat everyone who had been selected to be interviewed. Without him here today I do not really know if all of the people that he has helped over the years would have gotten the same help and be in the same spot they are today. He has helped so many people turn their lives around and be a productive member of society instead of being locked up in prison. I am sure that a lot of people respect him for what he done and especially the people he has helped, I know that they thank him a lot for getting them out of the trouble that they were in. -crispychicken711
ReplyDeleteAngel’s story was very inspiring and motivational. Not everyday you run into someone who used to be a drug offender and now has completely changed their lives around for the better. His story reminded me of a story that would pop up on my Facebook page where everyone keeps sharing it because it is so inspirational. After, he gave is story, it made me feel like I needed to go out in the world and make a difference and help others change for the good. And that is one reason why I chose criminal justice as a career choice. My goal in life is to help as many people as I can, whether it’s helping them by saving their life, or its by locking someone up so they can become a better person and not harm others. Angel kept saying over and over “leave a legacy” and that is definitely my mission. Hearing someone that had nothing and succeeded to the top of self-actualization (like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr.) is so refreshing and gives such a push to become a better version of yourself. Because it is possible to reach your highest goal. Having a program and a facility that is open for offenders that have just gotten out of prison or jail is such a great idea. It can help the past offenders get back up on their feet to better themselves so they don’t end up in the same place they came from. And the more this occurs the less offenders we will have. Most inmates that are incarcerated have either already been incarcerated or will be as soon as their first time is up. When the finally get out, they have nothing and normally their family and friends have abandoned them. Their house has gone to the bank because they didn’t pay their bills, someone stole their stuff because they lived on the wrong side of town. Their car got stolen because someone heard they were in jail. They come out having absolutely nothing, and they have no idea where to start or where to begin. Therefore, they want to end up back in prison or jail because then they have clothes on their back, a place to stay, and three meals a day where it is either arm or cold. Angel’s story really encouraged me to keep doing what I want to pursue as a career and conquer it so I leave a legacy and won't be forgotten. ProbdrinkingStar$’s711
ReplyDeleteThe story about Angel was real inspiring to me. I enjoy every little thing he had to tell us about his life and how he grew to change. he mentioned that when he was little he had a disfunction family, his mom had to take care of the family and his dang was addicted to heroin. He then watches his father have a over dose on the drugs but he didn’t die and just seeing that he got addicted to drugs at the age of 15. I feel like the way you grow up in a house hold will influence you to live that kind of life style. Which sucks because bad things can happen to child because of the family or the guardian. He mentions that he was in and out of jail, but wanted to do hard time in jail just to escape the world because it was hard not having no one. If you don’t have any help when getting out of prison or jail you are more likely to go back because you are going to do anything in your power to survive, which is any human being. So, if you use to sell drugs before going to jail then your going to go back to doing that so you can make money. He then wanted to change his life for the better so he so he got help. After getting the help he needed he was 18 years clean from drugs. Which was good and he got a good paying job and something he likes to do. he said that he thought he wasn’t going to get the job but I’m glad that they looked beyond his past and gave him it. a lot of jobs should start doing that because some people actually change.-babyblue711
ReplyDeleteWhen he was talking about his story, it was very inspiring. He represents that anyone can make a difference even if you have had a rough past. He had a rough childhood and when he was talking about what he does, it’s awesome. Helping people and their families is something that I would love to do. He helps people get their lives together and he helps people see their families again and that’s one of the many things that can make a difference. Helping people get back into the community is something that we should strive for. He said that there are three things he always does for his clients. He wants to keep them alive, safe, and out of prison. I think those three things are awesome and those are three things that everyone in the field should remember. He brought up some good points on how the media has portrayed law enforcement in a bad way. I agree with that and I feel like everyone today doesn't really like cops because of the media. You can’t trust the media anymore because the media is not always honest and it can make it look like one thing and it’s really something else. The main goal is to reduce recidivism. Try and help people to not relapse. Knocking on someone's door every day shows that people involved in law enforcement really do care. He mentioned something about how there are people who should be locked up and there are people who should not be locked up. I agree with that statement. People who have a drug addiction should be getting help and treatment. They should have someone helping them through the process. They should have someone helping them get on their feet. People who have done drugs in the past or even smoked know that addiction is tough. They know that resisting it is tough and when they don't give in, that makes them a stronger person. I really liked the presentation he gave. I liked the points that were made and I liked listening to him talk about what he does and how he has helped people. The word is very negative today, listening to positive stories makes the day different in a good way. -Soccer31711
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love how Doc has guest speakers come and talk to us because everyone gives us a dose of reality. Angel was so genuinely honest and forward with how his life was and is today. He came from such low grounds, his father being consumed with drugs and his mother trying so hard to keep his family together, he was getting abused. He said his freshman year of high school was when he overdosed, at school. He was in and out of treatment centers and jails and then finally admitted he had a problem at 31 years old and wanted to make a change. He said he was, "living a life of destruction". He entered the teen challenge program for 22 months. He had a child but the child's mother did not want him therefore he was a ward of the state. In 2009 he came to south Peoria working with people needing help. In 2011 and 2012 he had worked on a detox unit and then the elite re-entry program. He currently has a clientele of 60 men and 5 of those clients have their kids back, working and came from absolutely nothing, even having no identification. Angel will follow up with them, their jobs, keeps track of his people, been sober for 18 years and he learned everything on his own. There was no one there to hold his hand and guide him or tell him what he needed to do. Peoria Police officers approached him and wanted him to interview for a job posting they had open and he did not want to do it, he was happy where he was at. He said he was super hesitant and went in and interviewed with the mindset he was not going to get it anyways but they called him and here he is today working for them 1 year and a few months later. Angel says there are three things in law enforcement that we can do and ask ourselves how to help people. Keep you alive, keep you safe, keep you out of prison. Establish a relationship with our community, it is crucial. He told us to protect the integrity of our name and ourselves. Angel really did help me understand the importance of community relations but also to look at people differently. Working on the cities ambulance I deal with people that overdose or are on something. It is hard sometimes to stop and look at the fact they need help because it is so easy to say, "oh here we have to go check out john doe again". He was super impressive and I am glad we have someone like himself working for this city. -notacop711
ReplyDeleteAngel’s story was very sad but uplifting. It was amazing to hear how he changed his whole life around and to see where he's at now. First, he grew up with a drug addict father and his mother was addicted to his father. His mother always tried to keep the family together. Angel was use to walking into the bathroom with his father on the floor with a needle in his arm. He had no one to tell him right from wrong. Angel said when his family had trouble’s they would just run to drugs. That's all angel knew so at the age of 15 angel was addicted to drugs. He was in and out of jail but never served hard time in prison. All together he’s been in and out of jail for 3 years. Angel said when he was younger he has always wanted to serve years at a prison just to see how it was and to basically stay safe and he knew that if he was in prison he would get fed, have somewhere to sleep and have no bills or anything to worry about. Then after so many years of that, at the age of 31 he decided to change his life around. He went to rehab for awhile and then eventually got a job and decided to move to illinois and joined a program to help kids who experienced the kinds of things he did. Now he works for the peoria police department. Honestly, he didn't think he would get the job when he had his interviews. He didn't have a highschool diploma and only worked a few jobs that were not major. He then became the first x offender to be hired that is an hispanic citizen. He learned everything by himself and like he said it was a culture shock. There are 3 things Angel says you should always think about when helping someone: how to keep them alive, keep them safe and keep them out of prison. Angel says divine intervention and life experiences made him who he is today. He truly wants to help people and cares because he didn't have that in his life.
ReplyDelete-ny711
When you listen in on a story where a person literally hit rock bottom is always an inspiring one. Listening to “A” speak was very intriguing, at a young age “A” had seen a lot of wrong doing and raised up in a predicament where it was a struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While growing up in the predicament he came across some stuff where it was normal for him to see. So, through all that, then came his addiction, opioid academic is at a all time right now. But without being an addict I know that leaving that behind is a tough situation and “A” did it for a super long time, and that cause destruction between is mother to the point where she didn’t want him in the house because of his problem. I Applaud and give the most upright respect to “A” because today he is a changed man in so many ways, that he is a good remodel for young kids going through the same thing in which “A” went through spiritually and professionally and personally.
ReplyDelete“A” works in the police department but the crazy thing is with him knowing that becoming a employed by the police department they prefer citizen who’ve shied away from trouble in all type of ways, during his story “A” stated that he never seen himself doing the job in which he is doing today, and that in fact he filled what he wanted to fill out on the application hoping and praying that they wasn’t going to pick him, basically thinking negatively. Which end up turning out in his favor so that right there is a story where at a point in time when you thought your life was over because of mistakes made in the past isn’t really down the drain because everyone is a human and every human isn’t perfect, now “A” is out here being a spokesman for those who don’t know what to do or how to survive once they enter back into society from being incarcerated for how many ever years.
Statechamp711
Angels life story is an good example of no matter where you come from and how many hardships you have faced, with hard work you can have success in life. Angel came from a dysfunctional family, he saw drugs being abused such as heroin. Being exposed to that Angel became addicted to heroin at the age young age of 15. Through out the years he was in and out of rehab and jail. He ended up serving a total amount of 3 years in county jail. Even though he had spent time in jail, Angel wanted to know what a 10 to 15 year sentence felt like. He wanted to go away and not have to have responsibility. By the time he was 31 he finally admitted that he had a problem and he sought out help. He entered T-challenge for 22 months. In 2009 Angel came to Peoria to work. In 2011 he worked at Procter hospital to help people who were addicted to drugs. Angel is so good at his job that the police call him when they need help with people who are addicted to drugs. Five of his worst clients that he has had are now productive members of society. With his success in his field he was offered a job at the Peoria Police department. Angel was the first offender to be hired by the Peoria police department. We need more people like Angel out there in the world. The recidivism rate is at 68 percent, if those people could have gotten help they might have stayed out of jail. Even worse the prison population is over 2 million people. As Angel stated people need to be locked up but some might have just need help. If these people could have gotten the help they could be out there in the world being a productive human being. -ClarkKent711
ReplyDeleteHaving Angel in as a guest speaker truly was an awe-inspiring lecture. His life experiences that he shared with us really make me appreciate/realize how good I had it growing up. To start things off, he told us that as a kid, he suffered severe abuse- pretty much anything and everything you could imagine. When he told us that he used to wake up in the middle of the night to find his father passed out in the bathroom with a needle in his arm and had to check if he was still alive, I was heartbroken imagining myself in those shoes- I am pretty seriously certain I wouldn’t be where I am today, let alone be where Angel has made it to, had I lived the live he had up until his 30’s. At age 15, he became a heroin addict and overdosed at his high school as a freshman. He said that he barely lived, and probably wouldn’t have had he not been right across the street from the local hospital. Something he said that surprised me was that he said he always had a really strong desire to serve a long prison sentence. To me, this doesn’t make sense but his reasoning for it does explain it quite a bit- he said he wanted to know what it was like to serve hard time- he also wanted to have no bills to pay, have consistent meals and a place to sleep. Finally, at age 31, his life of destruction started to take a turn down a different road- this was the age that he finally realized he wanted to get help and start doing something productive with his life. He joined a teen challenge program and participated in it for 22 months. Upon completing the program, he had nowhere to go- his mother didn’t want him and he didn’t have a job to get his own place. This is when he decided to join the teen challenge group as a volunteer to help others with the problems he had had for so long. To this day, he has been sober for 18 years. He said one of the biggest struggles he faced around this time was learning how to deal with himself, hang out with himself, and how to work with successful people who had life plans and were doing things with their lives since day 1. Although I could elaborate much more about what all was said during the class period, I would like to talk about a couple other things before ending this blog. Something that was a very big topic of concern for Angel was how bad recidivism rates have been over the past decades. He said one of the biggest things he tries to accomplish on a daily basis is offering help to anybody and everybody who contacts him or even just wants help. Even those who don’t want the help, he will gladly let them know he will always be there should they change their minds. This was a big thing to me- it made me realize how much I would love to help those people like who Angel does. I would rather help them turn their lives around and see the progression of their life turn around than send them back to prison, if it can be avoided. The last thing I wanted to mention was how he said the view on not only police, but all law enforcement, has become due to the negative media. He said the side of cop cars says often say “to serve and to protect,” but they should say
ReplyDelete“we have to protect ourselves first, then serve those who want to be served.” This makes me furious with how the media has become this attention-starved animal that will say anything and everything that will get the most attention and concerned viewers. GMan219711
I hadn't met Angel until last Thursday but I already have a tremendous amount of respect for the man. Listening to his life story, I was amazed. I could have never imagined growing up in an environment like that. He had it rough. He mentioned his father was a heroin addict when he was a young boy. That would be very hard on me. I see my father as a role model. I have always looked up to my dad, growing up, and to know Angel didn't have a dad in his life, to play football with him, help him do his homework, help him grow into a man, it breaks my heart. He never had a loving home life. He was physically abused at a young age, and all of that caused him to become addicted to heroin himself. All his life he was in and out of jail, and treatment. All together Angel had 3 years total of county jail. Angel decided to come to Peoria from Chicago in 2009. He wanted to better himself for his well being, and for his life. He wanted change. He had no family at that point. He started working at a Peoria treatment facility in 2009 as a first shift supervisor. He did that up until 2011, until he went on to work at Proctor Hospital.in 2012 he went on to become Director of Elite recovery program and got his GED. Since 2016 Angel has acceled in the Peoria Police Department, helping the individuals on the streets, who need help with drugs, and staying out of trouble. I could tell as he was talking to us, that he really cares about these people, and will go to great lengths to get them to understand that. I shook Angels hand after he spoke to us, because his story really touched me, and it made me realize a lot of us have it better than others, and we can not take anything for granted. I hope to see Angel again. -Bearsfan98
ReplyDeleteAngel story was very interesting! He talked about how his life was basically over at a young age watching his entire family cope with their problems by using heroin made him think that was the proper way to handle hios promlem and seeing his mom basically destroy her self by trying to keep their family together then seeing his dad die. Just someone simply believing in him and him wanting better for himself his life had did an entire u-turn. That's really all it takes is for someone to really believe in you and for a freak accident happen for you to realize that you need to get your life together and not only for you but for your loves one and those that care about you. He realized the things he was doing wasn’t going to get him nowhere in life. Ashe slowly got himself together and reached out for help he got a job he would’ve never thought in a million years he would get and as time went by he was moving up and life and now is in the position to tel his story without feeling any type of way and he’s giving back to his community and helping those that’s in the situation he was once a LONG time ago in. Angel didn’t have anything higher than a GED but here he is today acceled in the Peoria Police Department being more than a helping hand to many of those that need the love and support because he know how it feel being in and out of jail with no support or nobody to look up to or talk to for the proper advice he need to get through life without being dead, in jail, or on the streets so he making sure those that need help gets help.-KenzieLand711
ReplyDeleteThis man has lived and experienced much. He grew up in Chicago on the rough side of town. His father was addicted to heroin. His mother was addicted to his father. He lacked the guidance he needed to be successful. At the age of fifteen he overdosed on heroin. Through his life he went in and out of prison and treatments. Then at the age of thirty-one he realized that he had to do something different with his life. He spent twenty-two months serving at a teen challenge. Through this job, he was able to make a difference. From 2009 to 2011 he was the manager to this out reach. Following his time as manager, he was hired at Proctor Hospital, where he was a case manager for people who have the disease of addiction. Through this job, he had a greater out reach to more people who needed help; he was making a difference in the community. He enjoyed this position greatly. A few of his friends were police. They convinced him to apply for a job working with the police department to help the people who truly want help. He did not want to apply, he enjoyed working through Proctor Hospital. Plus, the job his friends wanted him to apply to required more education than what he had. The only things he had to offer the police department was a GED, life experience and passion. Even so, the department requested he be interviewed. There were ten other people who had interviewed before he did; he was the last. All the other candidates had more education than he did, but the department wanted him to be interviewed once more. Needless to say, within two days he got the job. He had a strong passion to help people who needed help, where the others lacked in that area. This story is sobering. I truly enjoyed listening to it. He was given a rough life, but he used his experiences it to better others. This story is truly motivational. We should all try to impact our community in a positive way. We have the power to change lives, let’s not wasted it. ~CoalRoller711
ReplyDeleteListening to his story was very inspiring. He starts out with how his father was addicted to heroin. As time when on, and being where he is from, he himself became addicted to heroin by the age of 15. His first overdose was in his freshman year of high school. He had been in and out of jail for a few years. When deciding to get treatment for his addiction. After getting treatment, he had nowhere to go after treatment. So he volunteered in various places that dealt with addiction recovery and re-entry programs for people who were re-entering society after prison time. He told his story about how he had to become sober on his own. He was inspiring to me because of the way he turned his life around after being addicted to drugs for so long. Also how he showed the human side of police without the social media. Growing up, he said, that the police had a relationship with the neighborhood where he lived. Now a days, with social media, people rush to judgement about police with how they are represented on television and online. I also liked that he said that there needs to be respect on both sides. Also, what I found inspiring about him was how people become addicted and why it’s so hard for people who are addicted to ask for help. People all over the country are addicted, on the edge of becoming addicted, or dead because of drug use. Some do want help, but do not know how to ask for it, thus making the problem worse than it originally was in the first place. Whether it’s losing a job or family, if you end up in prison you might lose both. Finally, what I found really inspiring is that his story shows that no matter your background or what your history is, you can turn your life around if you really want to. –Adventureflight711
ReplyDeleteIt’s surreal to think about people that actually grow up in these situations let alone hear it first hand from someone who lived it. It's such a motivating story to heard that know matter where you come from you can live a successful life. I couldn’t imagine how different the norm is when all you know is living in chicago with heroin addicted father and it being normal to walk into the bathroom finding him unconscious with a needle in his arm. Also becoming a heroin addict at 15, in and out of treatment and jail for a total of 3 years all together. Then at 31 one realizing that you need to turn your life around and be the person you know you wanted to be and do something with your life. Taking all of these different steps to make sure that you could get there and achieve what you wanted to achieve by working 1st shifts, then becoming a case manager while being 18 years sober. Now being the director of a re-entry program is so inspiring and amazing. Helping people take their first steps in the right direction so that they can have a better life and not reoffend. For making sure that they know there's someone there who cares about them and that wants to see then succeed and also that they are being supported. To hear about how you grew up and what happened to you and the things that you did to now having a such a successful life and a job that you are so passionate about is such an amazing thing. Being able and will to share your story with people is such an amazing thing and changed how I view people because you don’t know what they had to deal with growing up or the different things that they might have experienced and that you can’t judge a book by its cover. - mmmChicken711
ReplyDeleteAngels story was so inspiring, he had a very hard childhood. He had no family to support him, and no fatherly figure. His father was always in the bathroom doing heroine or passed out on the floor with heroine needles. It just so crazy because Angel said that he started using heroin as a freshman in highschool, and that's even when he had his first overdose of the drug. When I was a freshman I barely knew the difference between weed and marijuana. That Just shows you how different some kids lifestyles are. Angel was in an out of jail, and totaled about 3 years from all the time he was locked up. Angel was so addicted to drugs, that he wanted to get a long term sentence, in order for him to stop the addiction. He wanted to get that long of sentence because everytime he got out of jail, he would have nowhere to go, and he would turn right back to drugs. It just amazes me that while he was in and out of jail. It just really opened my eyes that addiction, is not a thing that you can just cold turkey and try to drop. Addiction is something that takes years to get over, and it's not an easy process. Angel then spent twenty two months in a rehab facility, and finally became sober. He ended up in Peoria in 2009. He became a case manager for addiction at proctor hospital, and then became a director of Elite Re-Entry program for drug and addiction problems. He then got a job at the peoria police department for drug and addiction rehab, he was the first person to ever be employed by the Peoria Police Department with a criminal past. It just amazes me that a man with such a rough childhood and past, became so sober and now works for a police department. There no better person for the job then Angel. He can easily relate, and knows how it is, so he can give the best advice for the user. His past life of addiction has motivated him to help people. He was like the clients he helps, and it is truly inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI-Like-Cereal711
Listening to Angel speak was actually a pretty good lecture. Throughout his entire lecture the main point I received was no matter the life you grew up in, the surrounding or people will dictate the life you choose to live. One should never judge a book by his or her cover. If one was to look at Angel today he does not look like the person he once was. He doesn't look like the kid who had to fend for himself. He doesn't look like the kid who’s “dad was hooked on heroin, and mother hooked on the dad” Angel looks perfectly find. Angel is the true definition of do not let the ends justify the means. Parents play a huge part in their child's) life. Considering the fact heroin was exposed to Angel to got hooked on it. He thought it was a way to deal with everything. Angel endorsed a lot while being a child while suffering for abuse and other things he still managed to come out on top. From birth to the aged of 31 he lived he life of destructions in and out of rehabs and treatment facilities. At one point though everything changed, Angel changed his life around. He now sits on the opposite side of the table. He does for others what others in his life failed to do for him. He is now the director of something hugh. Angel is helping others get jobs and homes and most importantly gain control of their lives again. Listening to Angel speak reassured me that there are some people who want help and who want to change, they just don’t have the right people to believe in them.~Justice711
ReplyDeleteHaving someone like Angel come in is such an amazing experience because i feel like a lot of people can’t relate to criminals or why they do things or how they think but when you have someone in front of you explaining there story and how they changed there life around its a really big eye opener especially in the criminal justice field i feel like its so important to understand peoples background. For myself i can relate and connect with the way he grew up and the things he has overcame and to see that he changed his life around warms my heart. Growing up in a household with an type of addict is such a struggle and i can’t imagine what it was like having to watch your mother also suffer trying to love and fight for someone using. I feel like in so many cases when you have a parent thats an addict you follow in those footsteps because you don’t know any different and don’t have any reasons why you shouldn’t. When he said that he started using heroin at 15 i was shocked because you could never tell today that he was a heroin addict but i also wasn’t surprised that he abused a drug because of the background that brought him up. I think its truly amazing that he turned his life around and everything he’s doing today. 18 years sober is such a big accomplishment, and the fact he not only is sober but he’s sober helping other people with drug problems, family problems is so great. I think it takes a lot for a person to get clean but also put themselves in positions when they could be exposed to drugs but not have that craving anymore or urge to use. Working for the Peoria P.D. and being the first offender ever working for them should make him feel very proud of himself and everything he’s worked for these past 18 years. I like that he brought up the problem with social media and officers because i see this daily and it makes my skin crawl, i just read a comment yesterday someone saying they got a speeding ticket and someone comments on it and said “F*** the cops they are always looking for someone” i so badly wanted to comment but instead i decided i wasn’t going to argue with someone who was so ignorant. With that being said its such a big problem the way we put down officers on social media and talk about them instead of having relationships with our law enforcement officers, they should be the people we turn to when somethings wrong.
ReplyDelete-momx3
From being a fifteen year old kid having the drug issues that he did as a kid, to becoming the first ex offender ever hired by the Police department is such an amazing transformation. A true inspiration. Many people could never turn their lives around in a way that he did. I am very fortunate to have parents who were able to get out of the situations that they were in as kids and giving me the opportunities that a lot of people do not get the chance to do, and having their guidance. Something else that I found really awesome about his story was that he said he was 31 years old when he decided that he needed to do something to change and turn his life around. There are a lot of people out there that have a set plan on what they want to do for the rest of their lives and how they intend to get there. There are also people like me that just do not know exactly what they want to do and are just playing the field. 31 is not old by anymeans but it just shows that there is always room to restart some things in life and still be a successful person. It is just good to see that there are people out there like him to try to not only help himself in the ways that he did but now wants to help other people do the same things. A lot of people in even in criminal justice I think would not like to always be the guy that everyone comes to for help or is responsible to go to these peoples houses to make sure they are going to work and taking care of themselves because he cares. It is good to see that is still there in some people like him. Caring for people even when it seemed like no one cared about him when he was younger, or no one could help him. -Steel711
ReplyDeleteGiven Angels past life it is very inspiring to see him where he is now. His story shows how even if you start out in a life of disfunction and abuse, even if you are being in and out of jail for years you can still turn your life around. He had struggled with drugs and was in and out of jails for like a total of three years. He not only has turned his life around but strives to help turn many others life around as well. Hr really made it clear how easy it is for people to get caught up in the things in their environment. Also made it clear on why so many people get incarcerated and that is because when they get out they are put back into that same environment and its easier to go back to prison than struggle to get a job or even find a place to stay. When someone leaves prison they usually have nothing to go back to and they really don't have any money so thats why its easier to fall back to old ways that usually makes the end back up in prison. He also made it clear that if we can get to the child that struggling before they do any serious damage and end up in prison we can not only cut down on prison population but save a lot of money in the process. We need a lot of volunteers and we need to focus on helping the youth stay out and help the people who are released out of prison to stay out by helping them get back to the communities and help them get a job, housing. -pizza711
ReplyDeleteAngels story really had a pretty profound affect on me. I got into criminal justice because I’ve always wanted to serve my community but I never knew exactly how it was I wanted to serve. The obvious thing seemed to be getting into law enforcement and being a police officer but he’s made me think perhaps there’s another area in the criminal justice world I could be a part of. Hearing his story, it’s really amazing to me he ended up where he is. I think a lot of times people don’t view drug addiction as the disease that it is, for someone to overcome that especially from the age of 15 that’s pretty remarkable. Then not only did he get help and get better he is spreading it around and helping others do the same thing. I’ve met a lot of people in my life that are good people but for whatever reason keep falling into the same trap over and over again, I’m glad there is someone like Angel out there helping them and hopefully maybe I’ll have an opportunity to do that as well. I liked how talked about our relationship with the police as well. Growing up in a small town I’ve always known the cops and so did everyone else and I’ve always thought that was really cool. It saddens me that we are losing that in society and hopefully we can start bringing that back. I don’t think it’s that bad everywhere but clearly it’s bad enough in enough places that something needs fixed. He’s right that we do need cops and importantly we need good cops, but it’s hard to have good cops if no one trusts them but I also think cops need to really try hard to give people a reason to trust them as well. It’s a two way street and hopefully we can figure out how to navigate that together.
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