A young 13-year-old boy named Ian robs an innocent adult, Debbie, in a parking lot outside a local grocery store. Debbie screams and Ian panics. He shoots her in the face. Debbie lives. Ian pleads guilty and is sentenced to life in prison. This story is all-too common.
The uncommon part about this story is that Ian finds the courage to call his victim while in prison to apologize. Debbie has the grace to accept the call. Ian then proceeds to write her letters. The two become unlikely friends. She plays a role in helping him get released. She then helps Ian, now an adult, get acclimated to life after prison.
Joe’s Perspective: This is such a powerful story. 1) It causes me great pain to know a young boy could perpetrate such violence on an innocent person. How sad and tragic. This mother of two could have easily died for no good reason. 2) I think it’s terrible that a justice system would try a 13-year-old as an adult. This should not happen. I am pleased to know this young man was rehabilitated and released. 3) This story gives me faith in humanity. This 14-year-old found the courage to apologize… and this woman found it in her heart to forgive. Truly amazing!
Your Turn: How does this story make you feel about the world and about people?
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It is heart warming to see open mind thinking and acting improving our society
I feel like some people are too quick to forgive. I understand forgiving people for mistakes is important to growing, but I don’t think someone should HELP their shooter get out of prison. I don’t agree with him being tried as an adult but I also don’t agree with him getting released.
I feel that the lady should have not helped the guy out. She gave him no reason for him to shoot her, so what was the reason for her helping him. He did a crime and did not pay the full consequences and that is wrong.
The answer for the question above is that there are good people in the world today. This woman had a lot of courage to be able to be in communication with her shooter. I personally would be to scared to even answer the call of even try to be friends with him. I would not want to know anything about him because I could have died if I were in her shoes.
That, there is good in peoples heart and that if we did what Debbie did we all would live a little more peacefully one group of people at a time and we would also be as understanding and forgiving and that gives people the opportunity that we need as people to thrive
it makes me feel like you can give people second chances and you can forgive people for the things that they did wrong.
Giving people 2nd chances can give you and them a live changing experience saying sry can change your and their friendship to a whole new level
It is nice to see her forgive that man, even though he shot her. This gives me faith in humanity.
the attitude about this story was very good and light haearted besides the beginning. But then they made up and became friends with each other because how much they had in common.