#turnthepage
Take a moment to #turnthepage and read the tear-jerking stories of our clients, donors, volunteers and partners about the reasons they became a part of the T.O.R.I. program and the life-changing impact the Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative has had on their lives.
Zane's story
T.O.R.I. ALUMNI
“In
life, you can get through anything, I think, as long as you can stay positive.
If you lose a job, you can get a new one. If your car breaks down, you can save
money to buy another one, but one thing that will stop you on a dime is your
health.”
When
Zane was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison, he thought that he
might never recover. Sitting in his cell, he couldn’t imagine a future while
thinking about a past that he couldn’t forget. Many nights, he sat there
counting his regrets.
When
the COVID-19 pandemic began, Zane was sitting in a solitary cell, but he could
hear people around him coughing. He could hear people screaming. Without
regular access to news, he had an idea of what was happening in the world but
wasn’t sure how it might affect him.
One day, Zane began to feel ill.
The prison that he was in has a reputation for slow response due to inmate
malingering – a diagnosis commonly given to prisoners that the staff believe
are faking illnesses. Zane persisted in seeking medical attention. However, while
awaiting treatment, he wondered, “Is this
COVID?”
It
wasn’t. The results that Zane received would change his life.
When
the results came back, Zane discovered that he was H.I.V. positive. “There’s
no telling how long I lived with this. That wasn’t my concern, though. All I
could think about was how I would get good medical care to live a longer life
and what I would do with the rest of the time I have left.” Zane reflects.
While
attending a rehabilitative class inside the prison, a guest speaker entered. It
was a representative from the T.O.R.I. program. One theme stuck out to Zane
throughout the conversations about T.O.R.I.’s services. “All I could hear in
that man’s message was hope. It sounded like maximizing the time that I had
left. It sounded like bouncing back, being the best man I can be, and building
a life I can be proud of.”
Today, the T.O.R.I. office is Zane’s safe place. When Zane returned home from prison, Zane immediately signed up for the T.O.R.I. Program and started working on a plan of action that included finding a H.I.V. Specialist, obtaining healthcare coverage and connecting him to affordable health clinics and pharmacies. His case manager also connected Zane to one of our healthcare partners that provides supportive housing for men and women surviving H.I.V.
He’s currently working as a forklift operator at a warehouse for a national company, and he’s in the running for a promotion. The community medical services that T.O.R.I. partners with will assist with the costs of his treatments and even deliver his prescriptions to his home. To Zane, it feels like the diagnosis that he thought was going to be the end of his life is just the beginning.
“Not long ago, I was in a cold, dark cell. I was alone when I found out about my diagnosis and without hope. Today, I have a supportive community of people going through the same things I am. I have a career, a roof over my head, and a life I am finally proud of.” Zane says with a smile.
“I’ve made mistakes. I’ve stumbled, I’ve fallen, and I’ve picked myself back up. On the shoulders of my supporters, I will continue to rise. It’s the T.O.R.I. program that made all of this a possibility.”
