Good morning
ASI. Good morning ASI.
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I know its morning.
What a privilege it is
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for me to be here, you
know, I am over the last
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few years I've been
up on the ASI platform,
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usually on Friday
nights and I am very much
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looking forward to
this Friday night seeing the
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youth for Jesus
program and the testimonies.
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I want to thank Lisa
for that introduction,
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boy I almost
starting crying back there,
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it's a little early
for that. Before we begin
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I like to have a quick
word of pray with you again
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and then we'll get
right into the talk for this
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morning. Father
in heaven, what an
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incredible privilege it
is to be here to speak to
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your people, to
speak to such a powerful
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organization working
for you. Lord, you know the
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desires of my heart
through this talk this morning.
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Father, I pray that
not one person here would
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see me in this
testimony but they would see
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how incredible you
are. Father, bless us,
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send your Holy
Spirit in Jesus name, Amen.
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Turn with me in your
Bibles if you have them
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to Acts chapter 26, I
gonna try and move quickly
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this morning through
this, I just wanna share so much
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with you but I know I
only have approximately
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50 minutes or so. Acts
chapter 26, beginning in
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verse 16, But rise,
and stand on your feet,
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for I have appeared
to you for this purpose,
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to make you a
minister and a witness both of
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the things which you
have seen, and of the things
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which I will yet reveal
to you. I will deliver you
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from the Jewish people as
well as from the Gentiles,
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to whom I now send
you, to open their eyes,
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in order to turn them
from darkness to light
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and from the power of
Satan to God that they
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may receive forgiveness
of sins and an inheritance
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among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me.
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As I read this later
on after I was converted,
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I saw that this is
what happened to me.
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At some point in our
lives, God is going to
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orchestrate. He is
going to allow circumstances
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in you life to take
place so that you can come
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face to face with him.
This is exactly what happened
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with me and I am going
to begin from the beginning
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and I am going to
try and move quickly.
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When I was born now as
Lisa told you I'm from the
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Boston area, I
lived all around Boston,
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I figured it out I was,
had lived in 13 cities around
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Boston before I
was in the 6th grade.
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We moved a lot. I was
born to two parents that
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married very young, I was
the middle child of three.
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I have an older
sister and a younger brother.
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And my parents
married very young.
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My mom was 16 and
my dad I think was 18,
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I can't remember
exactly. When they got married
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they were, they lived
a lifestyle that would
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work with go along
with what he did for work.
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He was a rock n
roll musician, my father.
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He played a bass
guitar and he was a singer
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and he played the
harmonica for a group
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called J. Geils. Now,
some of you older folks may
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have heard of J.
Geils they made it big.
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They began in the 60s
and made it big in the,
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really big in the
80s with a couple albums.
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My father was not a part
of that group at the time
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they made it big. And so
with the rock n roll comes
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the lifestyle of rock n
roll and so the drugs and the
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alcohol were a big
part of my parent's marriage
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and with that it's the
recipe for a broken home.
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And so my, both my
parents were addicted to heroin.
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They would shoot
heroin into their veins.
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They were alcoholics,
they smoked, they did
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whatever, as matter of
fact they led a life of
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crime for a little
while as well. I remember some
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years when I was
older before I was converted
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I had found some
old newspaper clippings
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that my mother had and
in it, was the headline
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news for that day. From
a newspaper from Lexington,
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Massachusetts, the largest
heroin bust in the country
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and my father was in
the list of names that were
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arrested for that,
that very large heroin bust.
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So, as life went on
my parents, obviously in
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that type of
lifestyle. My parents eventually
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split up. My
mother was very beautiful
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and there was a lot
of men coming around
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a lot of times and I'm
not sure why they split off,
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they never
divorced, they were separated
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throughout my entire
life from very young.
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And I was
probably, I'm guessing about
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4 years old when they,
4 or 5 when they split up
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and of course this
is always very difficult
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for children when
parents split up and I remember
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an argument they were
having in the kitchen one
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time and they were
literally pulling me,
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you know, Kevin's
gonna come with me,
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no he is gonna come
with me. No, let's ask Kevin
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who do you wanna go
with? I mean how do you
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ask your child that? And
that so this began another
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portion of our lives
as children. My father had
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left and I believe
it was because mom was
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unfaithful, because
there was always men around
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and my father loved her
very much, and there were
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still addicted to
heroin. When my father left he
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decided he wanted to
clean his act up and get
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rid of the drugs and
alcohol in this life and so
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he began that process.
My mother on the other hand
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who had custody of us,
was still doing drugs and
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I remember at one
point she decided she wanted
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to try and kick
the habit of heroin.
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So, back in those
days this is the early 70s
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you would go to these
clinics that they had set
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up for heroin abuse and
you would go to this clinic
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and they would give
you another drug called
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Methadone. It was a red
liquid and you would drink
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it and it was supposed to
help you with the addiction
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of heroin. Now,
they understand today
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that it helps you with
the addiction of heroin
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because you become
addicted to the Methadone
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instead. And so I remember
we would drive in to this
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clinic often,
sometimes with my father,
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sometimes with my
mother. And one evening we were
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driving with my
mother and she was driving,
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my little brother was an
infant on the front seat.
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I was sitting behind my
mother on the back seat.
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My sister to the right
of me and I kept sitting
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up on the seat, and she
kept saying Kevin sit back,
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sit back, sit back and
finally I sat back and as
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soon as I did I fell
asleep. The next thing
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I remember was the police
pulling us out of the car,
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out of a river, out
of the Charles River.
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As soon as I had
fallen asleep my mother passed
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out behind the wheel.
She veered off the side of
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the road in a section
of the Charles River where
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they don't have railings
or anything, we hit a tree,
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Praise the Lord and
we rolled into the river.
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And I'm skipping a
lot there was a lot of
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spiritualism in my
family. My parents were very
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intrigued by spiritualism
and earlier that day,
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my mother and I broke
into somebody's house.
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These people next
to us who were hippies.
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They were, you know,
those kind of the, they
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had still the hippie era,
kind of coming out of that,
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and they were
hippies, they were a rock band
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and I was very
intrigued by them, and they were
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devil worshipers and I
remember I snuck into their
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basement one time
with my friend and they had
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coffins down there and
of course little kids we're
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freaked out, would ran
upstairs, I ran out to my
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house and tell my mother
and so she was intrigued.
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Well, that morning I was
out playing on my big wheel.
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Do they still big wheels
today? I still love my big
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wheel and so I was
playing on my big wheel
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and all of a sudden
these hippies coming running
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out of their house
like they just saw a ghost.
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They jumped in their
van and they screeched off.
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I ran and I told my
mother and so she said come on,
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so we, we she took me in
the house and sure enough
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they left everything and
we went into the living room.
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And they had a podium in
the living room and on it,
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I am not sure I believe
it was the satanic Bible,
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it looks like a Bible it
was black leather, but it was
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not a Bible and they had
chairs set up in their living
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room where they
would have these services
00:10:06.36\00:10:09.05
worshiping the devil. I
remember going up stairs
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and we went in a room
and they had a little table
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set up with a black
cloth over it and they had
00:10:15.49\00:10:17.58
candles light and there
was all kinds of demon stuff
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around and witchcraft
books and so something
00:10:20.88\00:10:24.06
happened in their
service and they got frightened
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and ran off. Well,
that evening is when we got
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into the car wreck
and its very interesting,
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the tree that we hit as
we found out later and still
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to this day has a satanic
symbol on it, one that my
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mother and father
had seen in a book.
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My mother told me
recently when I was
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talking to her about this
last year. She said, Kevin
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not only that but when
I was in the hospital the
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engine ended up
on my mother's lap,
00:10:51.85\00:10:54.56
she broke her
legs, her back, her neck.
00:10:54.59\00:10:56.81
She was out of service
for a while. She said while
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I was in the hospital,
your father came to see me
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and he was looking
at the marks on my leg
00:11:02.98\00:11:06.41
and there was a
satanic symbol on my knee,
00:11:06.44\00:11:10.38
a scar that we had just
seen in a book in Harvard
00:11:10.41\00:11:14.11
square that intrigued
us. And so this went on,
00:11:14.14\00:11:17.18
so now this car
accident happens, my mom has
00:11:17.21\00:11:21.81
custody of us. Now,
back then the department
00:11:21.84\00:11:26.42
of youth services they
were, a lot of things got
00:11:26.45\00:11:28.90
swept under the
carpet and they didn't give
00:11:28.93\00:11:31.45
a lot of rights to
the father usually in a
00:11:31.48\00:11:34.79
situation like this.
So, my mom still had custody
00:11:34.82\00:11:37.67
of us while she was in
the hospital for a few months.
00:11:37.70\00:11:40.07
And we had caretakers
come, the state provided
00:11:40.10\00:11:43.54
to kind of raise us
for a few months and that
00:11:43.57\00:11:48.03
went well I guess
we survived through it
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and then it was time
for my mom to come home,
00:11:50.67\00:11:54.74
but she was still laid up
in bed. She was bedridden,
00:11:54.77\00:11:57.90
and they were
still giving her drugs.
00:11:57.93\00:11:59.72
They had her
pumped up on morphine,
00:11:59.75\00:12:01.71
and whenever she
would come around,
00:12:01.74\00:12:04.92
she would wake up and
she would take more drugs
00:12:04.95\00:12:07.89
for the pain and she
would call the taxi company
00:12:07.92\00:12:11.47
and have them deliver
her a bottle of vodka.
00:12:11.50\00:12:13.87
She was still drinking.
And so the taxi company
00:12:13.90\00:12:17.23
would come by and drop
off the bottle of vodka.
00:12:17.26\00:12:19.69
Well, while this was
taking place there was one taxi
00:12:19.72\00:12:22.50
driver that took a
liking to her. And one thing led
00:12:22.53\00:12:25.53
to another and they
began I guess you would say
00:12:25.56\00:12:28.24
dating and when my
mother was well enough
00:12:28.27\00:12:32.37
to get out of bed and
walk around then they decided
00:12:32.40\00:12:36.79
it would be best for us to
move in with her boyfriend.
00:12:36.82\00:12:39.62
Now, that's
something normal these days and
00:12:39.65\00:12:43.53
it wasn't so normal back
then but the abnormal part
00:12:43.56\00:12:47.57
was we moved in
with, it was my mother,
00:12:47.60\00:12:49.91
myself and my
brother and sister.
00:12:49.94\00:12:51.67
We moved in with her boyfriend,
00:12:51.70\00:12:53.81
her boyfriend's
wife and his kids.
00:12:53.84\00:12:56.50
And so we're living in a
place called Charlestown.
00:12:56.53\00:13:00.76
If you know the
Boston area, Charlestown is
00:13:00.79\00:13:03.39
a kind of historic,
the Charlestown monument
00:13:03.42\00:13:07.69
through the battles
there. Well, Charlestown was
00:13:07.72\00:13:11.54
more notorious for
Bostonians for being
00:13:11.57\00:13:14.60
a place riddled with
crime, organized crime from
00:13:14.63\00:13:18.66
the Irish mafia and drugs
and these types of things.
00:13:18.69\00:13:23.34
So we move into these
projects. The Bunker Hill
00:13:23.37\00:13:26.63
projects named after
the Bunker Hill monument
00:13:26.66\00:13:29.95
and these were
rough, rough projects.
00:13:29.98\00:13:32.62
Now, we were kids
that had never been exposed
00:13:32.65\00:13:35.59
to these types of
things. We had always
00:13:35.62\00:13:37.08
lived in decent
areas up until this point.
00:13:37.11\00:13:40.20
My mother's father
always provided funds
00:13:40.23\00:13:44.31
for us to live in a
decent place even though they
00:13:44.34\00:13:47.04
were wasting a
lot of money on drugs.
00:13:47.07\00:13:49.22
At this point we
moved into these projects
00:13:49.25\00:13:51.39
and I remember the very
first day we were there,
00:13:51.42\00:13:53.53
a gang of ladies or I
should say women jumped
00:13:53.56\00:13:57.94
my sister, they was
about 10 of them and they beat
00:13:57.97\00:14:00.52
her really bad and that
was kind of the initiation
00:14:00.55\00:14:02.84
into this new neighborhood,
00:14:02.87\00:14:04.40
and so we, this began a
chapter in our lives that
00:14:04.43\00:14:07.47
was, that was very
dark. Her boyfriend,
00:14:07.50\00:14:10.10
my mom's boyfriend was
an alcoholic and he was a
00:14:10.13\00:14:12.78
violent alcoholic and
he would get drunk and then
00:14:12.81\00:14:16.75
he would get violent
and turn that on us kids,
00:14:16.78\00:14:20.62
my bother and sister and myself.
00:14:20.65\00:14:22.32
And mainly on my
brother, and on myself
00:14:22.35\00:14:26.52
as well but the brunt of
the abuse was on my little
00:14:26.55\00:14:30.46
brother. My little
brother was the cutest little
00:14:30.49\00:14:32.87
kid ever, blonde,
blond hair, big blue eyes and
00:14:32.90\00:14:37.49
he didn't like
that apparently. So, as
00:14:37.52\00:14:40.88
we were living with
them for this period,
00:14:40.91\00:14:42.85
I remember we would go
hungry. We literally would
00:14:42.88\00:14:46.40
be starving, they would
spend all their money on
00:14:46.43\00:14:49.76
alcohol and they
would eat, of course,
00:14:49.79\00:14:52.56
they would eat like
kings and but they would never
00:14:52.59\00:14:54.79
feed us. And so I
remember being starving
00:14:54.82\00:14:59.18
and my mother's boyfriend
had a daughter that was
00:14:59.21\00:15:03.18
my age, and we used to
hang around. So we went
00:15:03.21\00:15:06.37
out one day and we
decided we were gonna try
00:15:06.40\00:15:09.76
and find a way to eat
and so this began my career
00:15:09.79\00:15:14.01
as I walked into
a supermarket chain
00:15:14.04\00:15:17.57
that I don't know, yeah, I
guess they're still around,
00:15:17.60\00:15:20.29
Stop and Shop, I
walked in there and I decided
00:15:20.32\00:15:23.62
I was gonna steal some
food to eat and you know,
00:15:23.65\00:15:27.96
I was a little kid and
what would you steal if your
00:15:27.99\00:15:31.31
a little kid hungry you
went into a supermarket,
00:15:31.34\00:15:33.57
may be candy bars or
something right, no, no,
00:15:33.60\00:15:36.30
no that stuff is bad for
you. The very first thing
00:15:36.33\00:15:38.82
I stole was a
coconut. Could you imagine?
00:15:38.85\00:15:43.76
Now, I'm starving
half to death and I steal a
00:15:43.79\00:15:47.21
coconut. What on
the world are you gonna
00:15:47.24\00:15:49.03
do with a coconut?
It took me like hours to
00:15:49.06\00:15:51.35
get this thing
open. Finally I am like
00:15:51.38\00:15:53.46
smashed it on a brick
and like after about a
00:15:53.49\00:15:55.94
100 times I think smashed
and we lost all the coconut
00:15:55.97\00:15:58.85
milk and then it's
tough to eat anyway and so
00:15:58.88\00:16:03.00
I learned very quickly,
you know to get a little
00:16:03.03\00:16:05.56
wiser in my selection
of food and so I began
00:16:05.59\00:16:08.93
stealing every single
day. I was in the supermarket
00:16:08.96\00:16:11.94
it was only the hand
of God that was winking
00:16:11.97\00:16:15.11
at my ignorance
that protected me because
00:16:15.14\00:16:17.31
I was in that
supermarket 2 to 3 times a day.
00:16:17.34\00:16:20.15
I just walk in, pick
stuff out and walk out.
00:16:20.18\00:16:22.71
And no one even
looked at me twice, and so
00:16:22.74\00:16:26.03
I began eating like
this and this was a pretty
00:16:26.06\00:16:29.10
good career for me
if I wanted to eat.
00:16:29.13\00:16:31.53
Until one day my
partner in crime got caught,
00:16:31.56\00:16:36.36
and she had gone
alone, I didn't know she went
00:16:36.39\00:16:39.52
and I came home and her
father was in the window
00:16:39.55\00:16:42.11
waiting for me and I
knew I was in trouble.
00:16:42.14\00:16:43.86
He said, Kevin come on
up here, we need to talk
00:16:43.89\00:16:47.41
and right then I
knew exactly what happened
00:16:47.44\00:16:49.86
she had got caught
and told on me and so
00:16:49.89\00:16:52.38
I went up there and I
took the beating and so
00:16:52.41\00:16:57.38
this ended my career
as a thief and so I had to
00:16:57.41\00:17:00.39
find another way of finding
food and so one afternoon
00:17:00.42\00:17:05.46
I was walking down
the street and I saw some
00:17:05.49\00:17:08.59
food in an open trash
can and I thought well
00:17:08.62\00:17:11.83
that looks pretty good
and so I took it and I ate it
00:17:11.86\00:17:15.06
and I thought wow!
This is pretty good in these
00:17:15.09\00:17:18.35
trash cans, there's
plenty of food and so every day
00:17:18.38\00:17:21.36
I would go out and I
would dig through the people's
00:17:21.39\00:17:23.54
trash like a homeless
person would, and that's
00:17:23.57\00:17:27.29
how I would eat and I
didn't think anything of it.
00:17:27.32\00:17:29.76
I thought this was
normal until one day,
00:17:29.79\00:17:33.33
I was across the
street from my house and
00:17:33.36\00:17:36.00
I was sitting inside of
a dumpster and I had found
00:17:36.03\00:17:40.51
this big aluminum foil
and opened it up and there
00:17:40.54\00:17:43.43
was a big piece of steak.
Now, I wasn't an Adventist
00:17:43.46\00:17:47.40
at that point and it was
a big piece of medium rare
00:17:47.43\00:17:51.17
steak and a big
potato, and man it was good,
00:17:51.20\00:17:54.27
it wasn't bad. And so
I began eating it and as
00:17:54.30\00:17:58.76
I am sitting in
this dumpster eating,
00:17:58.79\00:18:00.82
a young adult came in
and he went to throw a bag
00:18:00.85\00:18:04.26
at trash in that
dumpster and he saw me in there,
00:18:04.29\00:18:06.96
and he was horrified and
the look that I saw in his
00:18:06.99\00:18:11.10
face made me realize
that this is not normal,
00:18:11.13\00:18:14.92
not normal and so I
stopped stealing food,
00:18:14.95\00:18:19.09
growing up we never, I
was the child that parents
00:18:19.12\00:18:25.39
would tell their kids do
not hang around with him.
00:18:25.42\00:18:28.32
You can't because
we were out of control.
00:18:28.35\00:18:31.16
I didn't have to go to
school if I didn't want to.
00:18:31.19\00:18:33.84
I very rarely remember
ever bathing as a child
00:18:33.87\00:18:39.23
and so I was that child,
I'm sure I probably smelled
00:18:39.26\00:18:42.92
horrendous, I was always
dirty. I was that one that
00:18:42.95\00:18:46.78
your parents would tell
you, you don't hang around
00:18:46.81\00:18:49.94
with that person, with
that child. So, this went
00:18:49.97\00:18:53.54
on for a while, the
abuse got worse and worse,
00:18:53.57\00:18:56.35
at one point my
little brother got caught
00:18:56.38\00:19:00.12
stealing a little
box of Kellogg's cereal,
00:19:00.15\00:19:03.94
you know those eight
packs of the Kellogg's cereal.
00:19:03.97\00:19:06.70
Well, he stole it out of
the kitchen we had to steal
00:19:06.73\00:19:10.57
in our own house to eat
and he got caught and so
00:19:10.60\00:19:13.72
my mother's
boyfriend beat him severely.
00:19:13.75\00:19:17.14
So bad that he almost
killed him. And so they decided,
00:19:17.17\00:19:21.72
they couldn't take him
to the hospital because then
00:19:21.75\00:19:23.97
it would come to be
known what happened.
00:19:24.00\00:19:27.31
So, they just locked him
in the bedroom for weeks,
00:19:27.34\00:19:31.06
and during this
time my grandmother,
00:19:31.09\00:19:33.77
my father's mother
was meeting up with us
00:19:33.80\00:19:35.73
secretly and she would
give us some encouragement.
00:19:35.76\00:19:39.80
She would take us like
to McDonald's and we loved
00:19:39.83\00:19:42.28
that and she would let
us know that my father was
00:19:42.31\00:19:46.15
had cleaned up his act
and he's trying to custody
00:19:46.18\00:19:48.28
of us and to hang on
because they're working
00:19:48.31\00:19:52.33
on this. And I
remember one day during this two
00:19:52.36\00:19:54.91
week period my brother
had been almost killed.
00:19:54.94\00:19:57.81
He had been locked in
a room at this point for
00:19:57.84\00:19:59.97
two weeks and we
met with my grandmother
00:20:00.00\00:20:02.82
and she said Kevin,
when you go home today get
00:20:02.85\00:20:05.66
your stuff ready
we're coming to get you.
00:20:05.69\00:20:08.17
And I remember I went
back to the house and this was,
00:20:09.90\00:20:14.59
I had mixed
feeling, mixed emotions,
00:20:14.62\00:20:18.22
we were so happy to get
out of there, but we were
00:20:18.25\00:20:20.87
so sad we had to leave
my mother and I remember
00:20:20.90\00:20:23.78
I was in the living
room and the police came
00:20:24.70\00:20:27.58
and when the police
came and knocked on your door
00:20:27.61\00:20:29.40
in the projects you
knew it was the police.
00:20:29.43\00:20:31.42
They just had a
special way they knocked.
00:20:31.45\00:20:33.55
They knocked on the
door and all the adults threw
00:20:33.58\00:20:36.22
the vodka underneath
the coach and tried to
00:20:36.25\00:20:38.19
straighten up and
they answered the door and
00:20:38.22\00:20:40.46
sure enough it was
the department of youth
00:20:40.49\00:20:43.85
with the police
officer, two police officers,
00:20:43.88\00:20:46.81
with the paper work and
said, we're taking these
00:20:46.84\00:20:49.36
children out of here and
it was one of the happiest
00:20:49.39\00:20:51.92
days in my life.
Although, it was sad.
00:20:51.95\00:20:54.03
So, we began living
with my father and my father
00:20:54.06\00:20:58.07
had kicked the habit
of heroin and alcohol
00:20:58.10\00:21:00.82
but he was very sick
always, since I can remember,
00:21:00.85\00:21:06.08
he had contacted
hepatitis through using a dirty
00:21:06.11\00:21:10.93
needle, using heroin
and the hepatitis led to
00:21:10.96\00:21:15.35
different elements as
well eventually to cirrhosis of
00:21:15.38\00:21:19.66
the liver and so
he's always in and out the
00:21:19.69\00:21:22.27
hospital. Now, my
father and I got very close.
00:21:22.30\00:21:24.87
I was the oldest boy
and we did a lot of things
00:21:24.90\00:21:27.77
together when he felt
up to it, and in the city
00:21:27.80\00:21:32.32
where we were living was
Summerville, Massachusetts.
00:21:32.35\00:21:34.33
Now, that whole area of
Boston is basically run by
00:21:34.36\00:21:37.87
Mafia either Italian Mafia
or Irish Mafia just to give
00:21:37.90\00:21:41.60
you an example, a lot of
the bar rooms, lot of the
00:21:41.63\00:21:45.21
liquid stores
are Irish mob owned,
00:21:45.24\00:21:48.53
the Italian restaurants
and night clubs are Italian
00:21:48.56\00:21:51.82
mob owned, and so
it's all over the place,
00:21:51.85\00:21:54.72
so you grow up with that.
Now, I had become a boxer.
00:21:54.75\00:21:59.07
My father loved the
sport of boxing and I wanted
00:21:59.10\00:22:03.02
to make him proud
and we were pretty close.
00:22:03.05\00:22:05.78
So I began boxing, and
right away I took to it
00:22:05.81\00:22:10.18
I became a natural at
it and over a few years,
00:22:10.21\00:22:14.09
a couple of years of
training and fighting,
00:22:14.12\00:22:16.85
my trainer had mentioned
that I had the potential
00:22:16.88\00:22:22.23
of being an Olympic
fighter. Now, this man
00:22:22.26\00:22:25.10
had trained a lot of
famous fighters in the area
00:22:25.13\00:22:29.05
and so my dream in
life became becoming an
00:22:29.08\00:22:34.67
Olympic fighter. I
wanted to win the gold medal
00:22:34.70\00:22:37.57
for the United
States in my weight division
00:22:37.60\00:22:39.78
and then I wanted to
eventually become the
00:22:39.81\00:22:42.09
world champion
Welterweight champion
00:22:42.12\00:22:45.08
of the world is
what my dream was,
00:22:45.11\00:22:46.85
it became my
life. Everything I did
00:22:46.88\00:22:49.74
revolved around that.
So, life was good so to
00:22:49.77\00:22:54.17
speak and my father
had been sick off and on,
00:22:54.20\00:22:58.62
always in and out of
the hospital and I remember
00:22:58.65\00:23:02.28
the day he went into
the hospital for another
00:23:02.31\00:23:05.36
operation, the
Thursday night and I came home
00:23:05.39\00:23:08.37
from the school Friday
afternoon December 5th,
00:23:08.40\00:23:10.83
1980. 3 O'clock in the
afternoon the phone rang,
00:23:10.86\00:23:14.27
it was my
grandmother, my father's mother.
00:23:14.30\00:23:16.39
She said and I
answered it. She said, Kevin,
00:23:16.42\00:23:18.93
said you know your
father went in for the operation
00:23:18.96\00:23:21.28
today, I said, yes,
how did he do? She said,
00:23:21.31\00:23:23.93
he didn't make it. And
I went into shock like how
00:23:23.96\00:23:30.18
could this be. It was
just another operation,
00:23:30.21\00:23:34.12
how could this be,
and I couldn't speak,
00:23:34.15\00:23:37.51
I couldn't cry, just
handed the phone to my sister,
00:23:37.54\00:23:41.17
went into the other room.
Later on that Friday night
00:23:41.20\00:23:44.31
we went to my grandmother's,
to make some plans
00:23:44.34\00:23:47.97
and talk about
what we were gonna do,
00:23:48.00\00:23:49.40
who was gonna take care of us.
00:23:49.43\00:23:51.09
I was just
turning 15 at the time.
00:23:51.12\00:23:55.46
It was a few weeks
before Christmas and during
00:23:55.49\00:24:00.43
this time I had
hooked up with some wrong
00:24:00.46\00:24:04.18
influences in school because
of my fighting background
00:24:04.21\00:24:08.82
I started to gain a
reputation with the wrong people
00:24:08.85\00:24:12.42
and so that Friday
afternoon we were at
00:24:12.45\00:24:15.37
my grandmother's I went
into her medicine cabinet
00:24:15.40\00:24:18.26
and stole a bottle
of Valiums from her.
00:24:18.29\00:24:20.60
Now, those of you that
don't know what Valiums are,
00:24:20.63\00:24:22.67
they relax you and
they're very strong.
00:24:22.70\00:24:27.23
These were called Roche
they're 10 milligrams each
00:24:27.26\00:24:30.04
and I remember I
stole 18 of them.
00:24:30.07\00:24:32.47
And I still hadn't told
anybody what had happened,
00:24:32.50\00:24:35.26
I couldn't talk about
it. I literally was in shock.
00:24:35.29\00:24:38.51
So, I went out with
some friends that night,
00:24:38.54\00:24:41.44
two friends and we
bought a case and half
00:24:41.47\00:24:45.36
of beer. We bought
a quart of hard liquor
00:24:45.39\00:24:48.72
and a pint of hard
liquor, we bought some marijuana
00:24:48.75\00:24:51.95
and I had the pills
between three of us.
00:24:51.98\00:24:54.25
And apparently I had
started drinking very fast
00:24:55.69\00:24:59.86
and we started
smoking the pot and we're
00:24:59.89\00:25:03.06
drinking the hard
liquor and I'm drinking very,
00:25:03.09\00:25:05.90
very fast, my friends
realized. I didn't realize
00:25:05.93\00:25:08.84
it. Then I pulled
out some of the pills.
00:25:08.87\00:25:11.37
I lied to my friends I
said I stole six of these
00:25:11.40\00:25:13.91
pills. I gave two to
each of them and I took
00:25:13.94\00:25:16.44
the other 14. Now, this
is a miracle that should
00:25:16.47\00:25:21.35
have killed a horse,
especially just the pills
00:25:21.38\00:25:23.87
alone. To let
alone the hard liquor
00:25:23.90\00:25:25.97
and the marijuana and the beer.
00:25:26.00\00:25:27.95
Well, the next thing
I remember I woke up,
00:25:27.98\00:25:30.07
I had blacked out, I
had got an alcohol poisoning
00:25:30.10\00:25:34.94
as well as overdosed on
the pills and didn't know
00:25:34.97\00:25:39.85
what happened
'cause I had blacked out,
00:25:39.88\00:25:41.17
apparently I blacked
out and started crying
00:25:41.20\00:25:43.67
and trying to beat
people up and just a mess,
00:25:43.70\00:25:46.53
and so this began
another chapter of my life.
00:25:46.56\00:25:49.39
I never felt so alone
in my life, 14 years old
00:25:50.50\00:25:54.25
just turning 15.
Now, I have to become a
00:25:54.28\00:25:56.95
man and had no one
there for me, no one
00:25:56.98\00:26:00.58
in my family, no males
in my family stepped up
00:26:00.61\00:26:03.05
to plate. My family
was kind of the black sheep
00:26:03.08\00:26:06.06
in the family
because of the drugs.
00:26:06.09\00:26:08.32
So this began a downward
spin of drugs and alcohol.
00:26:08.35\00:26:13.80
I was in so much pain, I
had such an empty feeling
00:26:13.83\00:26:17.83
inside that I was trying
to fill and I didn't know
00:26:17.86\00:26:21.28
how to fill it, and
so I turned to drugs and
00:26:21.31\00:26:24.39
alcohol, I would wake
up, now my mother moved
00:26:24.42\00:26:26.27
back in with us to take
care of us. I despised her
00:26:26.30\00:26:30.31
at this point. It's
already tough enough with your
00:26:30.34\00:26:33.31
teen years and
parents and I despised her,
00:26:33.34\00:26:37.34
and she was still drinking,
so I would steal her vodka
00:26:37.37\00:26:39.89
in the morning. I
would drink a quart of vodka
00:26:39.92\00:26:42.21
with orange juice
before I go to school, junior
00:26:42.24\00:26:45.41
high school, and I
would go in drunk and I would
00:26:45.44\00:26:48.47
pick somebody out
and I would beat them up
00:26:48.50\00:26:50.84
and I was always in the
office for months at hand.
00:26:50.87\00:26:55.92
Now Praise the Lord
the principal found out
00:26:55.95\00:26:58.89
what happened, I never
told anybody but he read it
00:26:58.92\00:27:00.82
in the newspaper, so he
tried to get help for me
00:27:00.85\00:27:03.42
with the guidance
counselor. It didn't
00:27:03.45\00:27:04.97
work out, we didn't
connect and eventually
00:27:05.00\00:27:07.30
I started getting
suspended and suspended
00:27:07.33\00:27:09.32
and suspended, when I
was old enough to quit,
00:27:09.35\00:27:12.46
then I quit school
and I started working in
00:27:12.49\00:27:17.32
the restaurant
business and I got burnt out
00:27:17.35\00:27:20.15
in the restaurant
business over a few years.
00:27:20.18\00:27:22.47
My addiction was drugs
and alcohol which blended
00:27:22.50\00:27:26.71
in very nicely with
the restaurant business in
00:27:26.74\00:27:29.22
the area because that
was the kind of clientele
00:27:29.25\00:27:33.78
that you had and the
people you worked around,
00:27:33.81\00:27:35.61
they party a lot. And so
I worked in the restaurant
00:27:35.64\00:27:39.59
business for a while and
I had a child with my high
00:27:39.62\00:27:47.02
school girlfriend, my
son Kevin Jr. and it was the
00:27:47.05\00:27:50.64
best thing that
ever happened to my life
00:27:50.67\00:27:52.53
because of my child I
decided I have to give up
00:27:52.56\00:27:55.53
this lifestyle. I
remember thinking one day what
00:27:55.56\00:27:58.97
would happen if there
was ever a fire in my house,
00:27:59.00\00:28:03.04
and I couldn't wake up
because I was too drunk.
00:28:03.07\00:28:05.67
At this point, I was
drinking every single day,
00:28:05.70\00:28:08.12
morning, every night I
would drink two 6 packs
00:28:08.15\00:28:11.32
of 16 ounce
Budweisers before I go to bed,
00:28:11.35\00:28:15.30
and I thought what if
I couldn't wake up and
00:28:15.33\00:28:17.22
there was a fire and
something happened to
00:28:17.25\00:28:19.43
my son I would never be
able to live with myself.
00:28:19.46\00:28:21.96
So, as I was looking
at myself in the mirror
00:28:21.99\00:28:24.72
one day I decided
to give up smoking and
00:28:24.75\00:28:26.72
drinking and the
whole nine yards.
00:28:26.75\00:28:29.20
So, now work became
my addiction and I would
00:28:29.23\00:28:34.56
work over a hundred
hours a week in the restaurant
00:28:34.59\00:28:36.94
business and it's a
very, it's a business that you
00:28:36.97\00:28:41.79
get burnt out and
quickly, and especially
00:28:41.82\00:28:43.46
if you're working
those kinds of hours.
00:28:43.49\00:28:45.23
I got burnt out
after a few years of this
00:28:45.26\00:28:47.66
and continued in the
restaurant business even
00:28:47.69\00:28:50.18
though I despised it
at this point but I had
00:28:50.21\00:28:52.64
no education to fall
back on, always struggled
00:28:52.67\00:28:55.85
in school because when
I was little I never had
00:28:55.88\00:28:58.13
to go to school. So
when my father took custody
00:28:58.16\00:29:00.78
of us I was always
behind and always struggled,
00:29:00.81\00:29:02.92
couldn't understand
things and so I always
00:29:02.95\00:29:05.54
struggled in school.
So, I had no background,
00:29:05.57\00:29:07.62
I mean I had no
educational background
00:29:07.65\00:29:10.29
and the only thing I
know how to do was cook
00:29:10.32\00:29:12.57
and fight. And I
hated cooking at this point,
00:29:12.60\00:29:16.44
didn't want to get
back into fighting and so
00:29:16.47\00:29:20.57
I decided I was going to
begin a career in gambling,
00:29:20.60\00:29:24.79
brilliant and you
know the devil puts these
00:29:24.82\00:29:28.39
beautiful ideas in
your head and they just seem
00:29:28.42\00:29:31.04
so good at the time. I
thought yeah, you know,
00:29:31.07\00:29:33.73
I know football, I
will start, you know,
00:29:33.76\00:29:36.13
I know all the
bookies in the area.
00:29:36.16\00:29:37.53
I'll start gambling and
betting on football games,
00:29:37.56\00:29:40.15
and so that's what I
did. The very first Sunday
00:29:40.18\00:29:42.76
now should
Christians gamble? No.
00:29:42.79\00:29:45.97
No, not play lottery
any of that. We should not
00:29:46.00\00:29:48.42
be involved in that
incidentally. No Christian
00:29:48.45\00:29:50.58
should be involved in
boxing. We shouldn't be
00:29:50.61\00:29:52.59
watching it. We shouldn't
be involved in it at any
00:29:52.62\00:29:56.51
level because it's all
mafia run, not only is it,
00:29:56.54\00:30:00.08
you shouldn't be
involved any ways, but the mafia
00:30:00.11\00:30:02.77
owns the boxing world.
And so now I start gambling,
00:30:02.80\00:30:09.08
the very first
Sunday I bet on the games,
00:30:09.11\00:30:11.01
I bet on every
game on the board,
00:30:11.04\00:30:12.66
Sunday I don't know
it was 11 or 13 games.
00:30:12.69\00:30:15.20
At the end of the
day, Sunday I had won every
00:30:15.23\00:30:18.45
single game and I
remember Tuesday you would,
00:30:18.48\00:30:22.66
whether you won or
lost Tuesday you would go
00:30:22.69\00:30:25.36
into the bar room
and met in the back room
00:30:25.39\00:30:27.28
with the bookie and
either pay or get paid.
00:30:27.31\00:30:29.14
I remember that
Tuesday I went in and sat down
00:30:29.17\00:30:32.65
with the bookie who
was actually, he was a boss
00:30:32.68\00:30:35.89
of a small family and
he said Kevin sit down,
00:30:35.92\00:30:39.00
he said all the years
of my career as bookie
00:30:39.03\00:30:43.18
I've never seen
somebody do this.
00:30:43.21\00:30:45.35
You hit every single
game, well, of course,
00:30:45.38\00:30:48.38
I left there with
a bundle of money and
00:30:48.41\00:30:50.74
I thought this is it.
I'm gonna make my millions.
00:30:50.77\00:30:53.79
Gambling with the
bookies and you never come
00:30:53.82\00:30:58.11
out on top when you
gamble. That was the
00:30:58.14\00:31:00.95
last weekend I won a
game. Week after week
00:31:00.98\00:31:04.19
I just lost of
course I lost all the money
00:31:04.22\00:31:06.37
I won then I lost all
the money that I had then
00:31:06.40\00:31:10.13
I lost money I didn't
have. I started betting,
00:31:10.16\00:31:13.11
trying to win back to
break even and the bookies
00:31:13.14\00:31:16.64
liked me, they
had previously because
00:31:16.67\00:31:20.61
I built a name for
myself not only in the ring
00:31:20.64\00:31:23.02
but outside the ring I
had gained a reputation in
00:31:23.05\00:31:26.44
my city, and so the
bookies or the people in the
00:31:26.47\00:31:30.32
mob used to more than
I can't tell you how many
00:31:30.35\00:31:34.24
times they were trying to
recruit me to work for them,
00:31:34.27\00:31:37.10
to help them collect
debts and I would not do that.
00:31:37.13\00:31:41.74
You know I had morals
and so now I find myself
00:31:41.77\00:31:47.64
in this situation where
I owe the bookies a lot of
00:31:47.67\00:31:52.17
money, thousands of
dollars. Finally I called
00:31:52.20\00:31:54.69
in a bet and they
said, Kevin we can't do it
00:31:54.72\00:31:56.66
As a matter of fact
you need to come in and
00:31:56.69\00:31:58.10
we need to talk. So I
went in, we had our meeting
00:31:58.13\00:32:01.64
and they said, Kevin
you owe us thousands of
00:32:01.67\00:32:04.00
dollars we've been
lenient with you, we like you,
00:32:04.03\00:32:07.40
we're trying to help
you to win your money back
00:32:07.43\00:32:09.93
but you couldn't win
if you gave you winners to
00:32:09.96\00:32:11.91
pick and so now
we have a situation.
00:32:11.94\00:32:14.80
You owe a lot of
money and we're going to get
00:32:14.83\00:32:18.72
that money from
you, one way or another.
00:32:18.75\00:32:21.28
And you're gonna
decide that way either
00:32:21.31\00:32:23.55
we're gonna get it
from you or we're gonna get
00:32:23.58\00:32:26.08
it from me. And so
here's your option you work for
00:32:26.11\00:32:30.13
us and work your bill
off or we'll go to plan B
00:32:30.16\00:32:34.37
and I knew what plan B
what. So I thought about
00:32:34.40\00:32:37.41
it for about 8
seconds and decided my best
00:32:37.44\00:32:40.97
career move at this
point in my life would be to
00:32:41.00\00:32:43.90
work for this mob family.
So, I began selling drugs,
00:32:43.93\00:32:48.52
began selling cocaine
and then I went to heroin
00:32:50.55\00:32:54.59
and marijuana and
pills and steroids and it
00:32:54.62\00:32:57.70
just snowballed. And
so I became very busy
00:32:57.73\00:33:03.39
immediately in my city
and surrounding cities.
00:33:03.42\00:33:07.45
And so much so that
within a couple of weeks
00:33:07.48\00:33:10.58
I was able to pay off
my bill with the bookies
00:33:10.61\00:33:12.79
and I decided, I am
gonna break off from them.
00:33:12.82\00:33:15.75
I am not gonna sell
drugs for this mafia family
00:33:15.78\00:33:18.08
anymore. I'm
gonna do it on my own.
00:33:18.11\00:33:19.94
This was gonna be my new career.
00:33:19.97\00:33:21.91
Now, but I had moral
mind you, so I wasn't
00:33:21.94\00:33:24.85
gonna sell to any
kids because I had a heart
00:33:24.88\00:33:27.29
for kids always and I
wasn't gonna sell to pregnant
00:33:27.32\00:33:30.17
people or anything
like that, and I told myself
00:33:30.20\00:33:33.47
I'm not gonna turn
anybody on to drugs.
00:33:33.50\00:33:35.62
If they come to me then
if I don't sell it to them
00:33:35.65\00:33:38.15
somebody else will. So
I might as well benefit
00:33:38.18\00:33:39.95
from it. My God became money.
00:33:39.98\00:33:42.61
First Timothy 6:10 says,
the love of money is what?
00:33:43.89\00:33:48.33
The root of all evil.
And so my God, my love was
00:33:48.36\00:33:52.31
money, I never had
that we were so poor growing
00:33:52.34\00:33:54.65
up. I remember on
one day I asked my father
00:33:54.68\00:33:57.00
for 10 cents to get
on a bus and he couldn't
00:33:57.03\00:34:00.68
give me 10
cents. We were so poor.
00:34:00.71\00:34:02.77
Now, my father was
sick for years and welfare
00:34:02.80\00:34:05.67
thought he was lying
and so they would never
00:34:05.70\00:34:08.74
give us any
support from welfare.
00:34:08.77\00:34:11.95
So, we were very poor.
Now, I have this opportunity
00:34:11.98\00:34:15.06
that I've seen, can bring
a lot of money very quickly.
00:34:15.09\00:34:19.30
So I began
selling drugs on my own.
00:34:19.33\00:34:22.13
One thing led to another,
it went from drug dealing
00:34:22.16\00:34:25.03
to dealing in guns and
ammunition, to steroids
00:34:25.06\00:34:29.27
to stolen car rings to
breaking and entering rings
00:34:29.30\00:34:32.21
and before I knew that I
had 7, 8, 9 people working
00:34:32.24\00:34:35.48
for me and I was
making a lot of money.
00:34:35.51\00:34:39.21
Now, of course when
you get involved in drugs
00:34:41.16\00:34:43.14
you never ever win at
any level. You get involved
00:34:43.17\00:34:46.36
with drugs you will
not win. The foundation
00:34:46.39\00:34:50.84
began to crumble
under me. One of the guys
00:34:50.87\00:34:53.37
I had working for me
got arrested and he gave
00:34:53.40\00:34:56.08
the police my name,
then another man a few months
00:34:56.11\00:34:59.62
later got arrested,
gave the police my name,
00:34:59.65\00:35:02.13
2 or 3 or 4 of guys got
arrested and gave my name.
00:35:02.16\00:35:05.20
So, the police
obviously knew about me,
00:35:05.23\00:35:06.91
and I knew that they
knew about me and they
00:35:06.94\00:35:08.97
knew that I knew,
they knew about me.
00:35:09.00\00:35:11.41
And so I began a cat
and mouse thing where
00:35:11.44\00:35:14.03
I get into almost
get arrested sometimes
00:35:14.06\00:35:17.46
and get out of it and I
was addicted to the lifestyle.
00:35:17.49\00:35:21.57
I hadn't, didn't do
drugs at this time because
00:35:21.60\00:35:25.48
I saw the foolishness of
that. If you're gonna sell
00:35:25.51\00:35:27.91
drugs you can't do
drugs, because you're not
00:35:27.94\00:35:29.41
going to make money.
So, I was selling drugs and
00:35:29.44\00:35:34.87
I thought I would never
get caught because everyone
00:35:34.90\00:35:37.27
thinks that and eventually
lo and behold I got caught.
00:35:37.30\00:35:41.90
I got caught I had just
picked up some drugs and
00:35:41.93\00:35:45.95
I never did this but
I dropped it at my house
00:35:45.98\00:35:48.54
to go make a sale
with somebody else then
00:35:48.57\00:35:51.34
I was gonna come back
and hide it and take care
00:35:51.37\00:35:53.11
of it. When I went to
make the sale the police
00:35:53.14\00:35:55.54
were following me in
unmarked vehicles they,
00:35:55.57\00:35:57.96
I got into a small chase
but it was 3 O'clock in the
00:35:57.99\00:36:02.71
afternoon I had a very
fast car. It was 3 O'clock
00:36:02.74\00:36:05.82
in the afternoon and
there was a lot of children
00:36:05.85\00:36:08.69
coming out of schools
and so I always had a heart
00:36:08.72\00:36:12.67
for children and I
thought what if and so
00:36:12.70\00:36:15.01
I pulled over and
they caught me with a small
00:36:15.04\00:36:17.66
amount of drugs
and I got arrested.
00:36:17.69\00:36:20.12
Now, I remember I'm
sitting in jail and I know
00:36:20.15\00:36:22.17
what I just did, I
just picked up enough drugs
00:36:22.20\00:36:24.66
to put me away for a
long time. So you know what
00:36:24.69\00:36:27.68
I did, I prayed. I
didn't even know if God existed.
00:36:27.71\00:36:32.61
I'm in that jail cell and
I said, God if you're real,
00:36:32.64\00:36:35.82
get me out of this and
I'll never do this again.
00:36:35.85\00:36:39.65
Do you ever pray a
prayer like that before?
00:36:39.68\00:36:41.73
So God held to his
end of the bargain.
00:36:41.76\00:36:45.19
The bail was very
high on me and I had an
00:36:45.22\00:36:49.57
attorney already
because I knew just in case
00:36:49.60\00:36:53.00
and so my attorney
had gotten the bail down
00:36:53.03\00:36:55.48
to a low amount and I
bailed out and what do
00:36:55.51\00:36:59.57
you think I did? Right
back into it, right back
00:36:59.60\00:37:03.77
into it, started
selling drugs again.
00:37:03.80\00:37:05.43
While I'm going to
court for this case and after
00:37:05.46\00:37:08.50
about a year or so, a
second time I got caught.
00:37:08.53\00:37:12.89
I was sitting there
watching the world series game,
00:37:12.92\00:37:15.69
my partner had just
left the house and about
00:37:15.72\00:37:19.02
10 minutes later my
door came caving in and
00:37:19.05\00:37:22.42
I found myself on the
floor with a houseful of police,
00:37:22.45\00:37:27.20
state police and ATF and
all others and I got arrested
00:37:27.23\00:37:31.87
a second time and
what do you think I did?
00:37:31.90\00:37:33.71
Worked the first time.
So I prayed a second time.
00:37:35.39\00:37:38.45
Lord, I didn't say
Lord, I said, God, I know what
00:37:38.48\00:37:42.51
I said the last time, but
this time I really mean it.
00:37:42.54\00:37:46.69
If you get me out of it
I'll never do this again.
00:37:46.72\00:37:50.00
So, sure enough it
was a higher bail and it
00:37:50.03\00:37:52.54
got a little lower and
I bailed out and what do
00:37:52.57\00:37:56.67
you think I did.
Right back into it, and then
00:37:56.70\00:38:00.18
a third time I got
arrested not for drugs this time
00:38:00.21\00:38:02.69
as a matter of fact the
second time it wasn't for
00:38:02.72\00:38:04.05
drugs. They didn't
find drugs in my house
00:38:04.08\00:38:06.05
they found guns and
ammunition. This third
00:38:06.08\00:38:08.44
time I get arrested
with stolen property, and so
00:38:08.47\00:38:13.46
I bailed out a third
time. So, now it comes time,
00:38:13.49\00:38:18.03
my cases are building
up and I'm going to court
00:38:18.06\00:38:23.65
every month I'm going
to court now and it comes
00:38:23.68\00:38:27.01
time for the trail, and
a district attorney cut a
00:38:27.04\00:38:32.10
deal with me because
both my big cases they
00:38:32.13\00:38:36.03
made a lot of
mistakes. At this point, I had
00:38:36.06\00:38:37.88
two very high paid
attorneys in the Boston
00:38:37.91\00:38:39.89
area and there was
a lot of mistakes made
00:38:39.92\00:38:43.27
and so I had an option
either I could take it to
00:38:43.30\00:38:47.62
trail and possible win,
but if I don't I'm looking
00:38:47.65\00:38:53.48
at least 25 years, 22
years in jail. My son was
00:38:53.51\00:38:57.66
8 years old at the
time and so they offered me
00:38:57.69\00:39:00.80
a deal. They would
give me 22 years in prison
00:39:00.83\00:39:04.49
in a sentence but it
would be wrapped up in
00:39:04.52\00:39:07.74
5 years mandatory. So,
I would have 5 years for
00:39:07.77\00:39:11.80
distribution of
cocaine, 5 years for conspiracy,
00:39:11.83\00:39:15.32
2 years for this
gun, 2 years for that gun,
00:39:15.35\00:39:18.13
years and years and
its adds up to 22 years but
00:39:18.16\00:39:20.69
I only serve 5. So I
decided to take that deal
00:39:20.72\00:39:24.19
and my partner had
already been arrested
00:39:24.22\00:39:27.87
and gone to prison
and so he was, we were
00:39:27.90\00:39:30.49
communicating on
the phone. And he said,
00:39:30.52\00:39:32.56
Kevin you're gonna
have problems when you come
00:39:32.59\00:39:33.86
in here. Now, I had
been to prison when I was 17,
00:39:33.89\00:39:36.46
I skipped through that
but at 17, I was first time
00:39:36.49\00:39:40.31
in an adult prison. And
so he said, Kevin you're
00:39:40.34\00:39:43.38
gonna have
problems when you come in.
00:39:43.41\00:39:45.13
Now, there are some
people saying some bad things
00:39:45.16\00:39:47.34
about you, saying that
you set them up and you told
00:39:47.37\00:39:50.04
on them. Now, I
didn't think anything of it
00:39:50.07\00:39:52.10
because I knew a lot
of people in prisons.
00:39:52.13\00:39:53.99
So, I thought, they
knew me, I knew them
00:39:54.02\00:39:56.50
and it wouldn't be a
problem. It wasn't until
00:39:56.53\00:39:59.53
I got into prison I
realized what a serious problem
00:39:59.56\00:40:02.20
I had on my hands.
Now I was a fighter,
00:40:02.23\00:40:04.72
I would fight
anybody and at this point
00:40:04.75\00:40:07.59
I was taking steroids.
I was into weight lifting
00:40:07.62\00:40:10.77
and so I thought I was
invincible. Now, I found
00:40:10.80\00:40:13.66
myself in this prison
and some friends that I had,
00:40:13.69\00:40:17.20
my best friend was
in prison. He wouldn't
00:40:17.23\00:40:19.40
even look at me or talk
to me, no one would talk
00:40:19.43\00:40:22.40
to me, no one would
give me a bar of soap,
00:40:22.43\00:40:24.71
nothing. And then
I realized I had some
00:40:24.74\00:40:28.08
serious problems So,
when I get in some top
00:40:28.11\00:40:32.21
guys in the prison
had a meeting with me,
00:40:32.24\00:40:35.17
wanted to know how my
trial went and how much
00:40:35.20\00:40:38.84
time I got and
these types of things.
00:40:38.87\00:40:41.07
They were trying
to determine what did
00:40:41.10\00:40:42.49
he really tell on
people. And so I had a friend
00:40:42.52\00:40:46.16
that I used to box
with him. His father used to
00:40:46.19\00:40:48.16
train me and he said,
Kevin, you don't understand
00:40:48.19\00:40:50.81
you've been
labeled, you don't understand
00:40:50.84\00:40:53.04
what it's like in a
state prison. Once you're
00:40:53.07\00:40:55.18
labeled you're always
labeled, I can't help you.
00:40:55.21\00:40:57.81
Now, this man had
become a Christian in prison.
00:40:57.84\00:41:00.52
He said, Kevin there's
nothing I can do to help
00:41:00.55\00:41:02.24
you because if I help
you then I'm in trouble.
00:41:02.27\00:41:04.95
So, I knew I was in trouble.
I knew I was going to be
00:41:04.98\00:41:08.50
put in a position at
some point where I was gonna
00:41:08.53\00:41:12.81
either have to kill
somebody or be killed
00:41:12.84\00:41:15.29
and I wasn't a
killer. I would fight anybody
00:41:15.32\00:41:17.98
but I wasn't a killer.
These guys are killers.
00:41:18.01\00:41:20.38
And so I went back
to my cell that day and
00:41:20.41\00:41:23.35
my first cellmate was
a backslidden Christian.
00:41:23.38\00:41:25.97
He had seen some
things that were going on.
00:41:26.00\00:41:28.08
He gives me a Bible, he
says Kevin check this out.
00:41:28.11\00:41:30.16
You ever read the Bible
before? I said, of course,
00:41:30.19\00:41:32.43
not. He said,
well take a look at it.
00:41:32.46\00:41:34.43
Every single verse I
opened to, God was speaking
00:41:34.46\00:41:38.55
to me, telling me do not
be afraid, every single one,
00:41:38.58\00:41:43.05
though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of
00:41:43.08\00:41:45.70
death, I will fear no
evil, for thou art with me;
00:41:45.73\00:41:48.07
Thy rod and thy staff
will comfort me. Psalm 50:15,
00:41:48.10\00:41:51.95
call upon me in
your time of trouble,
00:41:51.98\00:41:53.84
I will deliver you
and you will glorify me.
00:41:53.87\00:41:56.68
Fear not those that can
kill the body and not the
00:41:56.71\00:41:59.88
soul on and on and on.
And as I am reading this,
00:41:59.91\00:42:02.65
this incredible peace
came over me and I couldn't
00:42:02.68\00:42:06.45
explain it but I could
feel the presence of God
00:42:06.48\00:42:09.68
in that cell, and I
didn't even know it was the
00:42:09.71\00:42:12.37
presense of God yet.
And so I felt at peace.
00:42:12.40\00:42:16.39
I went out to go to the
yard that day, just coming
00:42:16.42\00:42:19.80
from reading, must
have been 12 verses and
00:42:19.83\00:42:23.65
I knew it was God
but I didn't know God.
00:42:23.68\00:42:26.37
And I'm walking
by my best friend and
00:42:26.40\00:42:28.64
he didn't want see
people talking to me,
00:42:28.67\00:42:30.12
he said, Kevin
don't go to the yard, and
00:42:30.15\00:42:32.25
I stopped him and
said why not? He said,
00:42:32.28\00:42:33.84
because Johnny
Arms, this man was called
00:42:33.87\00:42:35.96
Johnny Arms because he
had biceps like this big.
00:42:35.99\00:42:39.15
He said, he's gonna
stab you today in the yard.
00:42:39.18\00:42:42.35
And I just come from
reading this, I said, Richie,
00:42:42.38\00:42:45.39
he's not gonna stab me.
I just knew, fear not and
00:42:45.42\00:42:49.33
he said, please
Kevin, don't go out there.
00:42:49.36\00:42:51.56
I went out there,
Johnny never came out for the
00:42:51.59\00:42:53.98
45 minutes of yard
time. Later that night
00:42:54.01\00:42:57.19
I found out that
Johnny was on this way out
00:42:57.22\00:43:00.01
to stab me.
Somebody bumped into him.
00:43:00.04\00:43:03.48
He got into a big
fight with him, stabbed him
00:43:03.51\00:43:06.63
and one got taken to
the hospital and Johnny Arms
00:43:06.66\00:43:09.64
got removed to a higher
security. And right then
00:43:09.67\00:43:13.72
I knew that this was
God and he was gonna protect
00:43:13.75\00:43:18.13
me, and so this began
my search for God in this
00:43:18.16\00:43:22.22
prison. One thing led
to another I would go to
00:43:22.25\00:43:24.28
every service that
came in, Protestant service,
00:43:24.31\00:43:26.57
Catholic service on Tuesday
night I'm doing the rosary
00:43:26.60\00:43:29.78
beads and let me tell
you, I grew up Catholic,
00:43:29.81\00:43:32.71
the rosary beads are
the most boring thing you
00:43:32.74\00:43:35.41
will ever do in
your life. I mean really,
00:43:35.44\00:43:38.06
hence but I would
do it because I thought
00:43:38.09\00:43:40.10
that's what he did. You
know, that's how you got
00:43:40.13\00:43:41.79
closer. Then on
Monday nights I go to the
00:43:41.82\00:43:44.44
Protestant service
and during the Protestant
00:43:44.47\00:43:46.71
service one evening the
preacher made an altar call,
00:43:46.74\00:43:50.28
I accepted Christ
into my life and I'll never
00:43:50.31\00:43:53.75
forget it. Now a lot
of guys do this in prison,
00:43:53.78\00:43:57.57
a lot of times its
not sincere and whatever,
00:43:57.60\00:43:59.92
a lot of times it
is. For me the moment
00:43:59.95\00:44:03.45
I accepted Christ into
my life. It was like a ton
00:44:03.48\00:44:09.12
was taken off my chest
and I could first time in
00:44:09.15\00:44:12.18
my life breath
and I remember leaving
00:44:12.21\00:44:15.01
and I just felt, if
the world was different,
00:44:15.04\00:44:18.42
I left there that
night, it was the middle of the
00:44:18.45\00:44:20.51
winter, we're walking
back to our unit and the stars
00:44:20.54\00:44:23.87
are brighter, the air
was thinner, it was the most
00:44:23.90\00:44:28.03
amazing thing, and this
began something incredible.
00:44:28.06\00:44:33.21
Those five, so I spent 5
years in prison, it was the
00:44:33.24\00:44:36.27
best 5 years of my
life. I had peace every day
00:44:36.30\00:44:39.69
in prison. God blessed
me, we don't have time.
00:44:39.72\00:44:42.19
I could tell you
story after story in prison.
00:44:42.22\00:44:44.98
He blessed me, he
always provided for me and
00:44:45.01\00:44:49.49
I always went to the
best, best prisons if you will,
00:44:49.52\00:44:52.91
never even asking to, and
there was a line of people
00:44:52.94\00:44:55.80
trying to get into
these prisons. One thing led
00:44:55.83\00:44:58.29
to another. In
every prison I was in.
00:44:58.32\00:45:00.28
I always ran into, there
are some prisons that are
00:45:00.31\00:45:04.07
better than others.
And like some prisons have
00:45:04.10\00:45:07.73
better food and that's
huge. So, anyways I like
00:45:07.76\00:45:11.74
to eat and so in
every prison there was a
00:45:11.77\00:45:14.70
man Milton, Puerto Rican
man, backslidden Adventist.
00:45:14.73\00:45:18.62
A man he was weird
like always had his shirts
00:45:18.65\00:45:20.93
all the way up and
always had his Bible.
00:45:20.96\00:45:22.64
And I had become a
Christian, didn't know
00:45:22.67\00:45:23.87
how to be a Christian.
So I would stay away from
00:45:23.90\00:45:26.57
him because he was a
little too freaky for me
00:45:26.60\00:45:28.51
at that time. But
he would always say, hi
00:45:28.54\00:45:30.34
and I had respect for
him. One thing led to another
00:45:30.37\00:45:33.01
I'm in the last
prison, a minimum security
00:45:33.04\00:45:34.75
I had made my way
down about a half way
00:45:34.78\00:45:36.64
through my sentence
and I had the best job
00:45:36.67\00:45:38.89
in the prison. I would
leave the prison, didn't even
00:45:38.92\00:45:41.43
know the job existed
until I got it, there was a
00:45:41.46\00:45:44.70
line of people
waiting, some people waiting
00:45:44.73\00:45:47.22
for a year and half
to be next on this job.
00:45:47.25\00:45:50.76
I didn't even know it
existed and they called
00:45:50.79\00:45:53.01
me down and said, Kevin
we're giving you a new job.
00:45:53.04\00:45:55.07
You're gonna work
at the fire department.
00:45:55.10\00:45:56.90
So I would leave everyday
at 8 O'clock in the morning
00:45:56.93\00:45:59.73
and work with the
firefighters all day
00:45:59.76\00:46:01.95
and then come back at 3
O'clock in the afternoon.
00:46:01.98\00:46:03.85
I'm leaving
prison. It was incredible.
00:46:03.88\00:46:06.29
Well, what happened
was I got a little too
00:46:06.32\00:46:08.47
comfortable. The firefighters
were a little wild and
00:46:08.50\00:46:11.69
we hit it off and so
I started getting away
00:46:11.72\00:46:15.19
from the Bible, not
studying as much when
00:46:15.22\00:46:17.55
I came back, not
praying as much and I started
00:46:17.58\00:46:20.33
getting I guess you
would say Laodicean before
00:46:20.36\00:46:23.39
I was even a Laodicean
Adventist. I was Laodicean
00:46:23.42\00:46:28.13
before I was
Laodicean Adventist, and so
00:46:28.16\00:46:32.38
I started smuggling
things back to the prison.
00:46:32.41\00:46:34.52
Now not anything bad
but there was a sub-shop
00:46:34.55\00:46:37.32
across the street and
food is huge in prison.
00:46:37.35\00:46:39.63
And so for my buddies
back I would load up with
00:46:39.66\00:46:42.54
sub-sandwiches and I got
along good with the guards,
00:46:42.57\00:46:46.33
so half the time they
didn't search me and I remember
00:46:46.36\00:46:48.68
one time I was sitting
in the back of that car
00:46:48.71\00:46:50.30
when they come to pick
me up and I'm like loaded
00:46:50.33\00:46:52.95
down with these subs and
they were like all steak n'
00:46:52.98\00:46:55.90
cheese and so they were
all hot and they smelled
00:46:55.93\00:46:58.96
and I'm sitting there
and I am thinking man,
00:46:58.99\00:47:01.33
I never thought of this.
All I can smell is steak n'
00:47:01.36\00:47:03.99
cheese subs, I am gonna
get caught and so praise
00:47:04.02\00:47:07.90
the Lord I got back.
They never searched me,
00:47:07.93\00:47:09.67
I just went right up to
my cell and one day somebody
00:47:09.70\00:47:14.28
however they told
that I was doing this and
00:47:14.31\00:47:18.01
I got caught. They
came and got me. I lost the
00:47:18.04\00:47:20.89
job and right away I
knew this was God's hand was
00:47:20.92\00:47:25.55
over me. I knew what I
was doing. I was getting
00:47:25.58\00:47:27.57
away from studying the
Bible and that day I lost
00:47:27.60\00:47:30.55
my job. I was depressed,
I am sitting on my cell
00:47:30.58\00:47:33.11
Milton, comes in. He
gives me an amazing facts
00:47:33.14\00:47:36.03
Bible study guide,
you've seen the amazing facts.
00:47:36.06\00:47:38.26
He said hey check this
out, is there anything left
00:47:38.29\00:47:40.19
you can trust. Tell me
how you liked it? I read it
00:47:40.22\00:47:43.01
wow! This is unbelievable
stuff I never knew this
00:47:43.04\00:47:45.85
stuff. I want back to
his cell I said you have any
00:47:45.88\00:47:48.02
more of these. He said
yeah, he gave me the next one.
00:47:48.05\00:47:49.88
On the Great Controversy,
first time reading the
00:47:49.91\00:47:52.36
Great Controversy
theme, it just blew me away.
00:47:52.39\00:47:55.15
Third one, I said
man so I kept going back,
00:47:55.18\00:47:57.46
in two days I read
27, the entire 27 lessons.
00:47:57.49\00:48:01.26
I couldn't get enough,
from that point on we began
00:48:01.29\00:48:05.26
studying the Bible together,
Milton and I and this man
00:48:05.29\00:48:07.93
knew this Bible and I
got in good with the guards,
00:48:07.96\00:48:11.05
so they would let me use
the phone, the prison phone.
00:48:11.08\00:48:13.68
I hope they don't see
this if it ever gets to the
00:48:13.71\00:48:15.64
Framingham area. This
is a huge security breach.
00:48:15.67\00:48:18.69
So I would call the
ABC in the South Lancaster
00:48:18.72\00:48:21.84
and I would order these
books. So in my, and then
00:48:21.87\00:48:24.37
the property officer
was, he kind of liked me
00:48:24.40\00:48:27.37
he would bring them up
cause they were contraband.
00:48:27.40\00:48:29.32
He would bring them up
to my cell for me in the
00:48:29.35\00:48:31.63
backstairs. So in my
cell I have these complete
00:48:31.66\00:48:35.43
Seventh-day
Adventist commentary set,
00:48:35.46\00:48:37.22
I had the Conflict
of the Ages series.
00:48:37.25\00:48:39.69
I have all these books
and we would everyday for
00:48:39.72\00:48:43.40
12 hours a day we
would pour through those and
00:48:43.43\00:48:47.27
it was the most,
we study together,
00:48:47.30\00:48:49.24
The Desire of Ages we
studied the Great Controversy.
00:48:49.27\00:48:51.81
We studied the Bible
12 hours a day I could not
00:48:51.84\00:48:55.11
get enough. Never
heard this stuff before,
00:48:55.14\00:48:57.76
New England where
this message was born,
00:48:57.79\00:49:00.13
never heard it before in
my life, like most in the
00:49:00.16\00:49:03.52
New England mind you. So
I couldn't wait to get out,
00:49:03.55\00:49:06.50
couldn't wait to meet
some Adventist people like wow!
00:49:06.53\00:49:11.01
Adventist people, like
from 1844, couldn't wait
00:49:11.04\00:49:14.83
to meet Ellen White by
the way. Didn't know she had
00:49:14.86\00:49:18.03
passed I am like, I
wonder what Church she goes to?
00:49:18.06\00:49:20.65
And like, and I'm
thinking you know I especially
00:49:20.68\00:49:24.70
could meet the youth.
I'm thinking man these
00:49:24.73\00:49:27.24
are going to be like
halos, white robes like covering
00:49:27.27\00:49:31.83
and I really thought
that they would know every
00:49:31.86\00:49:35.47
word that Ellen White
ever wrote, the young people.
00:49:35.50\00:49:38.03
Couldn't wait to meet
them, a Pastor forget it,
00:49:38.06\00:49:40.04
an Adventist Pastor
like wow! And so I got out
00:49:40.07\00:49:45.09
and kind of went through
a culture shock for a little
00:49:45.12\00:49:47.49
while especially in New
England it's difficult to
00:49:47.52\00:49:50.69
find a Church in the
Boston area and one thing led
00:49:50.72\00:49:54.55
to another I found a
Church eventually got baptized,
00:49:54.58\00:49:57.69
Pastor Eric Doran, he's
a Pastor here in Florida
00:49:57.72\00:50:00.58
in this area. He is
Mark Finley's brother-in-law.
00:50:00.61\00:50:05.42
He told me that at
that time he said, you know
00:50:05.45\00:50:07.37
I'm Mark
Finley's brother-in-law.
00:50:07.40\00:50:08.69
I said oh really!
Is he a Church member?
00:50:08.72\00:50:13.17
And he said, you never
heard of Mark Finley, no,
00:50:13.20\00:50:17.66
and so don't tell if
Mark's here, don't tell him
00:50:17.69\00:50:20.32
I said that. So this
began, I got baptized
00:50:20.35\00:50:24.90
and right away they put
me in the youth ministry
00:50:24.93\00:50:27.68
and I was leading out
the youth and one thing
00:50:27.71\00:50:29.65
led to another, and
at this time Pastor Doran
00:50:29.68\00:50:33.19
had left, we were about
a year and half without a
00:50:33.22\00:50:35.35
Pastor. And the head
elder Paul Maxwell, a friend
00:50:35.38\00:50:39.02
of mine said, he gave
me a pamphlet he said,
00:50:39.05\00:50:44.19
Kevin I want you to
check this out, tell me
00:50:44.22\00:50:45.80
what you think of
it. It was a flyer on the
00:50:45.83\00:50:48.10
AFCO program and I
looked through it and
00:50:48.13\00:50:50.59
I see Pastor Doug
on the front, you know,
00:50:50.62\00:50:52.35
that's how I came into
the Church and I looked
00:50:52.38\00:50:54.45
through it wow! So,
I was praying about it
00:50:54.48\00:50:56.66
and on my knees praying
about it, my phone rings.
00:50:56.69\00:50:59.77
I answer my phone its
Paul he said, Kevin what
00:50:59.80\00:51:03.18
did you think of that
flyer. Have you got a chance
00:51:03.21\00:51:05.19
to read it? I said,
Yeah, I would love to go,
00:51:05.22\00:51:07.37
but I can't afford to
it. He said, don't worry
00:51:07.40\00:51:09.66
about it. I've already
brought it to the board
00:51:09.69\00:51:11.25
and we're gonna
pay for you to go.
00:51:11.28\00:51:12.55
Every week we're
gonna raise money for you.
00:51:12.58\00:51:14.71
They raised enough
money for me to go,
00:51:14.74\00:51:16.45
they raised enough
money for me to pay my bills
00:51:16.48\00:51:19.23
while I was gone. So, I
went to AFCO, didn't know
00:51:19.26\00:51:22.35
what to expect, didn't
what a Bible worker was,
00:51:22.38\00:51:24.25
didn't know what
evangelist was, although
00:51:24.28\00:51:25.66
there was one stipulation.
He said, Kevin there's
00:51:25.69\00:51:28.00
one stipulation if we
sent you, you have to come
00:51:28.03\00:51:30.77
back and do a series
and use the new beginning
00:51:30.80\00:51:33.13
I said sure, whatever,
I'll do it, I wanna go.
00:51:33.16\00:51:36.46
I had no idea what
he was talking about,
00:51:36.49\00:51:38.47
do a series, like new
beginnings, what in the
00:51:38.50\00:51:41.32
world is that. But I
knew I would do it 'cause
00:51:41.35\00:51:43.47
I wanted to go then I
was in AFCO I realized what
00:51:43.50\00:51:46.75
I had said yes to. Now
I had a public speaking
00:51:46.78\00:51:49.18
phobia my whole life.
I had ran restaurants and
00:51:49.21\00:51:52.69
could never have a
meeting because I was
00:51:52.72\00:51:55.25
so afraid to speak
and I thought Oh! Lord,
00:51:55.28\00:51:57.49
what did I get myself
into, like I'm gonna preach
00:51:57.52\00:51:59.97
a series, are you
kidding me. And one thing led to
00:52:00.00\00:52:03.45
another, AFCO was a
mixed blessing and struggle.
00:52:03.48\00:52:08.49
I did good in the
academics, in the class
00:52:08.52\00:52:10.98
and did terrible on
the outreach and couldn't
00:52:11.01\00:52:13.73
get a Bible study if
my life depended on it,
00:52:13.76\00:52:15.72
got two Bible studies
in 4 months and losted them
00:52:15.75\00:52:18.25
both and praise the
Lord what did I become
00:52:18.28\00:52:22.06
when I got out of
there, a Bible worker.
00:52:22.09\00:52:24.13
Couldn't get a Bible
study if I had to, and the Lord
00:52:24.16\00:52:27.59
blessed and I just
wanted to work for God.
00:52:27.62\00:52:30.69
All I wanted to do was
work for God with this message.
00:52:30.72\00:52:34.45
There is power in
this message that we have
00:52:34.48\00:52:38.04
and I know that if I
had become a baptized
00:52:38.07\00:52:40.61
or another denomination
in prison I wouldn't be
00:52:40.64\00:52:44.88
here today. There is
power in this message,
00:52:44.91\00:52:47.79
I just wanted to work
for God, he opened one door
00:52:47.82\00:52:50.10
after another, he
right away opened a door when
00:52:50.13\00:52:52.86
I got out of prison to
go into a department of
00:52:52.89\00:52:55.52
youth services one of
the worst in the country
00:52:55.55\00:52:57.73
in the Boston area, to
begin studying the Bible
00:52:57.76\00:53:01.27
with youth that
are locked up, some of
00:53:01.30\00:53:03.40
them will never get
out of prison. They'll
00:53:03.43\00:53:05.56
go right from the
youth to an adult facility,
00:53:05.59\00:53:08.43
and the Lord blessed
me in that and then one
00:53:08.46\00:53:11.36
thing led to
another through Bible work,
00:53:11.39\00:53:12.88
I end up working with
ASI youth for Jesus program,
00:53:12.91\00:53:16.92
amen, and had never,
Amen, and here are some
00:53:16.95\00:53:19.98
from youth, so I just
love coming here especially,
00:53:20.01\00:53:22.60
this is my first year and
I had done this for 5 years,
00:53:22.63\00:53:24.95
last 5 years
in-charge of the youth for the
00:53:24.98\00:53:28.58
Jesus program and it's
the greatest program in
00:53:28.61\00:53:31.57
the world for youth
today, the best in the world
00:53:31.60\00:53:35.61
hands down, and I
never thought I'd be working
00:53:35.64\00:53:38.85
with Adventist youth
always thought it would
00:53:38.88\00:53:40.78
be you know others
and what a blessing
00:53:40.81\00:53:44.11
it was for me. Now,
let me tell you this,
00:53:44.14\00:53:45.98
this short story, I
am running out of time.
00:53:46.01\00:53:48.50
I'm in AFCO and I
understand that if
00:53:48.53\00:53:51.28
I wanna be
involved in evangelism that
00:53:51.31\00:53:53.66
I'm gonna need a
computer, now I didn't
00:53:53.69\00:53:54.99
grow up in a computer
age. We had type writers
00:53:55.02\00:53:57.14
when I went to school
and been in prison while
00:53:57.17\00:54:00.17
the computers were
getting big. So, I understand
00:54:00.20\00:54:02.94
I'm gonna need a
computer if I am gonna be
00:54:02.97\00:54:04.23
involved in evangelism,
so I prayed. Lord, I have
00:54:04.26\00:54:06.89
some money, I don't
know if you want me spent
00:54:06.92\00:54:08.89
it on a computer but
if you do then you've got
00:54:08.92\00:54:12.27
to make it so plain to
me that I cannot make a
00:54:12.30\00:54:14.60
mistake, because I
don't want to spend this
00:54:14.63\00:54:16.52
money foolishly. About a
week later, now my Church
00:54:16.55\00:54:20.61
was such a wonderful Church,
00:54:20.64\00:54:22.22
the Stone Memorial
Church, they would send me
00:54:22.25\00:54:24.65
money every week, make
sure I had enough money
00:54:24.68\00:54:27.42
to eat and whatever.
And, so all of a sudden
00:54:27.45\00:54:30.88
a week after this
prayer the door bell rings,
00:54:30.91\00:54:34.16
I answered it, it's a
UPS guy, big box, I said Oh!
00:54:34.19\00:54:39.00
Look at this one of
roommates got something
00:54:39.03\00:54:40.84
good he said,
Kevin Sears? I said yes.
00:54:40.87\00:54:43.94
He said, I have a
package for you. I said, for me!
00:54:43.97\00:54:46.50
And so I sign right away,
took it in, I opened it up,
00:54:46.53\00:54:49.94
it's a laptop
computer. Someone in my Church
00:54:49.97\00:54:54.24
before I was praying
decided they wanted to get me
00:54:54.27\00:54:58.88
something while I was
in AFCO. They knew the
00:54:58.91\00:55:01.23
Church was sending
me money, they don't
00:55:01.26\00:55:02.97
wanna give me money
they prayed about it
00:55:03.00\00:55:04.72
and they were
impressed to buy me a computer.
00:55:04.75\00:55:06.72
At that point I knew
where my life was going to be
00:55:06.75\00:55:10.76
leading, I would be
involved in evangelism,
00:55:10.79\00:55:13.39
no question about it,
and so that is what happened,
00:55:13.42\00:55:18.46
I got out of prison,
one thing led to another led
00:55:18.49\00:55:21.16
me to ASI youth for
Jesus. ASI has been my life
00:55:21.19\00:55:25.88
for the past 5 years.
It hasn't been a summer
00:55:25.91\00:55:29.14
program it's been my
life for last 5 years.
00:55:29.17\00:55:32.44
It's been the greatest
5 years of my life working
00:55:32.47\00:55:35.39
with these young
people, seeing their lives
00:55:35.42\00:55:38.25
transformed for
evangelism and seeing
00:55:38.28\00:55:41.60
the incredible
miracles through that program
00:55:41.63\00:55:44.18
and I myself have
grown so much over this time.
00:55:44.21\00:55:48.97
I want to share a
scripture with you in closing.
00:55:49.00\00:55:51.81
We're gonna to
Second Corinthians,
00:55:53.71\00:55:55.75
you're very
familiar with this verse.
00:55:55.78\00:55:58.18
Chapter 5, verse 17,
Therefore if anyone is
00:55:58.21\00:56:07.11
in Christ, he is a new
creation; old things have
00:56:07.14\00:56:10.79
passed away; behold
all things have become new.
00:56:10.82\00:56:14.54
My friends, at some
point in every person's life
00:56:14.57\00:56:18.59
we're gonna run face
to face into Jesus Christ.
00:56:18.62\00:56:23.22
And how we react to that
will determine the direction
00:56:23.25\00:56:27.75
the rest of our life
will go. No matter how bad
00:56:27.78\00:56:30.75
things are in your life I
want you to understand this,
00:56:30.78\00:56:33.00
no matter what's
going on in your life you're
00:56:33.03\00:56:35.47
not too far for God
to reach you and when
00:56:35.50\00:56:38.91
you look at others,
no matter how bad some
00:56:38.94\00:56:43.12
kid seems or some
adult seems, he is not out of
00:56:43.15\00:56:47.20
the reach of the power
of God. I hope that you've
00:56:47.23\00:56:50.77
seen the power of
Christ working in my life.
00:56:50.80\00:56:53.87
You haven't seen me but
how incredible our God is.
00:56:53.90\00:56:57.60
matter what's going
on in your life you're
00:56:57.63\00:56:58.60
not too far for God
to reach you and when
00:56:58.61\00:56:59.58
you look at others,
no matter how bad some
00:56:59.59\00:57:00.56
kid seems or some
adult seems, he is not out of
00:57:00.57\00:57:01.54
the reach of the power
of God. I hope that you've
00:57:01.55\00:57:02.52