Growing up, my life was good.  My mom kept us together, working as a maid.   She was a strong woman.  It all went downhill when she suffered her second massive stroke.  At the time I was in 10^th grade. 

Then my big brother went to jail.  His bail was low and I needed to get him out.  My little brother and I needed clothes.  So I had to step up.  For six months I tried to get jobs at places like McDonalds while going to school.  None of that worked, and it wouldn't have been enough anyway.  So I went to the street.

I'd hustle after school, sell drugs.  My sister would take the money and buy food and clothes.  I was business-minded.  In no time, I was doing very well. 

Then everything changed.  I got caught.  I was 14 years old and spent 16 months as a youthful offender.  I came home thinking I was the big man on campus because I just did time.  Then I played for bigger stakes, for more money.  I probably made $3,000 a night.  Then I got caught again. 

But this time when I went to jail it wasn't a joke.  This was the animal life, stabbing, cutting.  First medium security, then maximum.  I met the big drug dealers inside. Drugs were all I knew when I came home.  I dealt drugs and got caught again. 

What made me wake up was I got tired of losing everything.  So I went to a drug program, where somebody told me about HOPE.  I said I'm going to give it a try.  At first, HOPE was ready to kick me out.  I came in here straight up hood, my aura was too street.  But my teacher just got under my skin somehow.  She saw another person.  I just stuck in there.

Resumes, interviews, computers - they were all things I thought I'd never learn.  It was a beautiful new world.  The people around me, they were feeling where I was and were really trying to help me.  I needed that.  I saw everything was legit at HOPE - everybody was sincere.

Today, Tyron is working two jobs and building for his future.