Former Gang Member Says Mayor Melton Saved His Life
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Melton Helps Gang Members Turn Lives Around
Melton Helps Gang Members Turn Lives AroundMany will remember Mayor Melton as a mentor and a father figure.
One of Mayor Melton’s biggest passions was getting kids off the streets and in school.
Daniel Smith, a former gang member, says he wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Mayor Melton.
“I was out here in the streets gang banging, selling drugs and that’s when he stepped in and adopted me,“ Smith said. “He showed me there was more to life than selling drugs and out here gang banging.“
That was over 20 years ago.
Now, Smith is off the streets and a chef at a local restaurant.
“frank was a wonderful mentor for me, a father, he never told me nothing wrong,“ Smith said. “He showed me a better way of life, you know what i’m saying? He showed me if I put my head to anything I want to do, i can do it.“
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I WAS A MEMBER OF JACKSON MS NOT THAT LONG AGO I LIVE IN CYPRESS TX NOW AN I HAD TO MEET THE MAYOR IN PERSON , WHICH WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE, THAT TIME FOR ME WE WERE AT A SCHOOL BANQUET AN I FELT THE LOVE HE HAD FOR THE PEOPLE OF JACKSON AN SURROUNDING AREAS ,FOR PEOPLE THAT NIGHT WHEN I SAW AN HEARD HIM SPEAK IN PERSON , HE WAS FOR THE PEOPLE AN THE CITY BECAUSE HE OFFERED HIS FUTURE TO SOME MOTHER ,AFTER GETTING FLOWERS HE ASK HOW OLD WAS HER CHILD AN TOLD HER THAT IF HE WAS STILL AROUND WHEN HE FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL THAT HE WOULD PAY FOR HER SON COLLEGE FEES ,TELLING HER THAT, THAT MOMENT THERE IN 1991 WAS THE EYE OPENER FOR ME TO REALLY LOOK AN LISTEN TO THIS MAN AN EVER SINCE THEN HE HAS BEEN DOING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR HIS PEOPLE OF JACKSON AN I TRULY HATE THAT HE’S GONE BUT NOT FORGETTIN IN MY EYES ,SO GO AHEAD FRANK REST, YOU DID YOUR BEST , AN TO ALL HIS FAMILY MEMBERS GOD BLESS.
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