I found out early on about the age of 15 that alcohol was a way to escape a troubled life at home. In the beginning I liked the way it made me feel, I wasn’t long before I discovered drugs, and escaping reality was something I was drawn to.
When I look back it’s easy to see how this began to distort my young mind, to the point I had become this self-destructive young man with a lot of anger issues, lacking common sense and empathy for others. At the age of 24 I took the life of another human being.
I arrived at San Quentin State Prison in 1982, sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP) with a clearing head, tons of shame and guilt about my crimes and the person I had become. I found myself with many choices to make. It would be easy to fall back into the same routine; after all I would be spending the rest of my life in prison. I chose to try something different, the first things I had to do was commit to no more drugs and alcohol.
I started to work on my relationship with my dad and the rest of my family, we got close, In the beginning I was trying to make them proud of me, this helped me a lot because I was striving to be a better person, since then I have done many things. I got my G.E.D. then I was able to work with computers, the thing I am most proud of is my art and how I have been blessed with the opportunity to give back with my art work. For the past 18 years I have participated in several fundraisers and most of the major charities in the Lancaster area. I have raised thousands of dollars for the community. I have for many years now honored by being able to teach my peers with their art work.
It feels good to say I have lived my life in prison free of drugs, free of alcohol and free of violence. I am an old guy now 61 years of age and it gives me the greatest pleasure to be helping my community. Thank you for taking time to read my story.
Charles L. Weyant