I wanted to say that I am so proud of my cousin. For almost two years my cousin Michael has been in the "hole" in segregation and he recently went through this program to help him readjust to general population.Michael has been promised and has been referred many times for this IMU Program and has been let down so many times. After months and months of being told that he is going, he finally got in. He completed this program which lasted a couple of months successfully and now has been transferred to gen pop. The other day Michael sent me all of his paperwork of the IMU program that he attended. Lot of it consisted of thinking reports and essays( kind-of like homework) that he had to work on for the program.Along with that he also sent me his certificate of his completion so I can frame it and place it on my wall.He worked hard to prove to the prison system that he deserves the chance to be with everyone else. When the system didn't think he could do it, he proved them wrong and for that I am proud. I was also wondering since this is a BIG achievement for him, if anyone is interested in congratulating him on his hard work and wish him the best of luck in gen pop because he needs the support, it would make me a very happy woman if he knew he has the support out here to encourage him. So I thought maybe someone could drop him a line if anyone can and would like to. Thank you so much. Tell Michael his little cousin told everyone how proud she is of him. :D :thumbsup:

Kelly i will send a note on monday, for sure...you may want to ask people to pm you for the info coz as soon as a forum leader or moderator sees it they will remove his personal information, its not allowed...

If anyone is interested about the info please pm me. Thanks so much!

Please post his addy in the pen pals forum so he can get more responses. The Lost Vault is a great site and he'll get quite a few responses there.

Please post his addy in the pen pals forum so he can get more responses. The Lost Vault is a great site and he'll get quite a few responses there.

I am trying to edit his personal info and I don't know how. How do I edit it? Do I need to go to the section and where do I go from there?

I got it for you. When you get over to the Pen Pals forum, look for Bunny and she'll help you get into the Lost Vault.

I got it for you. When you get over to the Pen Pals forum, look for Bunny and she'll help you get into the Lost Vault.

Thank you so much, there is so much I still don't know but I am grateful that you helped me. Thanks again!

I just wanted to say that my cousin isn't looking for a pen-pal the reason why I suggested about anyone interested in giving words of encouragement was more of a way of letting him know that there are people out here supporting people who are serving time and since he did this wonderful thing by accomplishing this goal of his I thought if anyone was interested from the PTO family to wish him good luck on his way back to gen pop. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this everyone! I wish you and all your loved ones the best.

This is a great story. One of my beefs with the system is that they don't "rehabiliate", they just house. A lot of people inside were never "habilitated" in the first place and they're given little or no reason to stop now othe than the promise of freedom. States that have no parole don't even offer that simple reward. Prison officials have said that these are grown people and don't need a push. Obviously they're being grown has nothing to do with it, as we all are different people with different needs. This is proof of what giving somebody a reason to be proud of themselves can do.

I hope and think this feeling of accomplishment (which often doesn't happen) will do him some good. He made an accomplishment against odds, and got rewarded for it. Now comes the hard part...not letting the other crabs in the barrell (i.e. gen pop) bring him right back in the hole.

Okay well I will start this the correct way!!!!

Michael, I am extremly happy that you proved to the prison, that you are capable of being in Gen Pop, I know how hard it is to make someone think of you as a normal person when all they ever see is a monster!!! My brother had to go thru the same thing after 4 years in the Hole!!! I know exactly how proud of you Kelly is!!!

Keep up the good work, there are people out here praying for you!!!

Way to go Michael. Keep up the good work your doing, you have alot of people here rooting for you!!!

Dear Michael,

It is never to late to turn your life around. It sounds like you are on the right track. One day you will walk out of that place and never look back. You can close that chapter of your life and rebuild your losses. Until that day comes you have to do what it takes to make it happen. One step at a time, one day at a time.

Your little cousin, Kelly, believes in you 100 %. She is so happy you are in gen pop now and wants to look ahead to the next hurdle. No Going back!

Congrats and God Bless You.