Hello, this is Larry Stromberg at FCI Phoenix in Pennsylvania, and today I’m going to talk about something that’s probably the most difficult thing being incarcerated: losing loved ones, loved ones passing away. Me personally, during my 30 years of incarceration, I’ve lost at least 25 to 30 people; loved ones and friends, and you’re helpless in this situation. Some say it’s the consequences of one’s sins, crimes against society. I guess it is. But still difficult because most of us incarcerated have a heart still.
We cry. We feel separated from our loved ones. And when a loved one passed away, such as my father, my sister Michelle, and recently my good friend Norman, who just passed away, I couldn’t—I couldn’t be there for them. I can’t be there physically for them. I can’t attend the funeral, be with my other loved ones. And I know from talking to other men during my incarceration, they feel the same way. I just want to talk about that. Let everyone know about that. It’s a difficult, heart-wrenching thing.
My friend Norman was an actor, just like I am. I’ve worked on films with him. He’s in my film Spiritual Warfare, Norman Maresa, and his loss has been tremendous for me. I would call him and we would talk about things, and he would we talk about acting and about second chances, but suddenly he passed away, and now I know he’s in a better place as is my sister Michelle, my father, many other loved ones that have passed away.
And me personally, I try to comfort people when they lose loved ones while in prison as a CPS — Certified Peer Support Specialist— I try to talk to them, listen to them, and encourage them, because that’s all you really can do; and hold on to the memories of your loved ones that have passed. That’s the same way out in society, I assume, also. Well, I remember it was; it has to be. Hold on to those memories because they are gifts from the Creator. But the hardest thing about incarceration is not doing the time – it’s losing loved ones. Thank you for listening. This is Larry Stromberg at SCI Phoenix in Pennsylvania. God bless.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
