As a former prison guard, Al Bermudez Pereira reflects on the lessons he learned at Sing Sing that drove him to make a difference in the lives of inmates--and be a better father to his own sons.
"Thanks for doing this for my father, He deserves it."
Perhaps the greatest testament to a father's impact is for his own children to recognize, later in life, that he is deserving of special recognition.
When Carmine Bermudez, 19, and Al Bermudez, Jr., 27 look at their father, Al Bermudez Pereira, they see a man who always cared deeply for others and wished to see all young men grow into responsible fathers, husbands and citizens.
As a correction officer working at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison in New York (known for housing violent criminals) Bermudez learned the lessons that made him an exceptional father and leader: "Young people really don't mind discipline. It actually gives them a sense of security and a firm foundation of personal strength and integrity," he says.
This philosophy became the foundation for this prison guard to raise his own sons and influence those around him.
Understanding without excuses
Al Bermudez, Sr., came to Florida to visit relatives and fell in love with the warm weather and the rural beauty of the outskirts of Sanford, where he still lives. It was a stark contrast to the urban environment where he was born and raised in New York.
Bermudez's experiences as a youth in Brooklyn fostered his interest in law enforcement. It was at Sing Sing that he realized the impact that one man can have on the lives of others--and the multiplying affect kindness and cruelty have on humanity.
"I had many sits downs and held endless conversations with young people incarcerated, some serving 10 to 100 years in prison," Bermudez says today. "Many blamed their unfortunate circumstances on absent parents, single parents working long hour days, no supervision and homes without fathers."
In listening to them without excusing their choices, Bermudez found the inspiration to instill discipline and self-reliance in his own sons. Having "seen young men in prison go astray, he made it clear that my brother and I would not," says Al Bermudez, Jr. His brother, Carmine, agrees, and says that, although "his odds were more against him," his father instilled in his sons the importance of being honest and patient so that they might become leaders, not followers.
As a father, Bermudez himself was this kind of leader. As Al Bermudez, Jr., says, "a man who never had a father did a great job being one."
Sing-Sing State State Prison: One Day, One Lifetime
Now that his boys are grown, Bermudez has found a way to continue serving as an example. As the author of Sing-Sing State Prison: One Day, One Lifetime, he shares both the psychological toll and the positive effects of working in such an environment.
Recognizing the level of bravery and professionalism required by those responsible for antisocial inmates, he coveys the impact of the experience.
In essence, the man he is today is the result of the men he knew at Sing Sing. "Prison actually helped me to perfect those imperfections I didn't know existed within me as a parent," Bermudez explains. "I couldn't help but absorb these unfortunate stories and positively implement them in my own personal life." Yet Bermudez emphasizes that "we can't save everyone from life's temptations."
Maybe not everyone--but this father guided one young man at a time. starting with his own sons.*
Central Florida
City of Lakes Lifestyle Magazine.
Sharon Boeckle, Editing Manager, June 2007 |
