My name is Andres Aznar, I was born in Caracas, Venezuela on November 23, 1985. My entire family is from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I was well taken care of from birth: Loved and Protected. Raised in Orlando, Florida I had everything I could ever want, from theme parks, good schools and lots of friends. But all of that let to influences that were no so good. So I decided to follow society and my friends instead of those that wanted the best for me and loved me unconditionally.
So I dropped out of High School, and after getting my GED I joined the U.S. Army. There, I learned a lot, but because I wanted to allow society to run my life and not be a grown man, I chose to live contrary to the Army’s Values.
In that mindset, I lusted after a married woman. She divorced and I married her. She had four children. We were both 20 years old.
We lived a wild life. She as well lived like me, but she had four children to care for.
She wanted to regain her youth. I wanted to enjoy my youth and that’s where the trouble began. I cheated on her, she cheated on me. I was on psychotropic meds and she was on the high life. Then we started to grow apart. I stopped taking my meds, had a mental breakdown with help of my withdrawals and I ended up committing the worst crime anyone can commit. I molested my stepdaughter.
I was angry at my wife, angry at myself. After she left me , she found out what happened and let the neighbors know. I went to my dad’s in Puerto Rico. I knew that I needed help, but was too scared to ask for it. But the Feds helped me out with that. On October of 2009, I was arrested.
I confessed my crime. I accepted responsibility and took my plea deal. I was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
It’s been 16 years since my arrest and my vision hasn’t changed: Get help and change your life.
Today, I’m involved in programming for that change. From reentry committee participation, education and church participation such as preaching and music ministry. And now I’m paying it forward.
I have less than 10 years remaining. I need to prepare for my deportation to my home country.
Church is my lifestyle and watching people’s lives change through church is what keeps me going.
My plan is to be successful. But more so to help those around me be successful as well.
Thank you.
