My name is Carole Santos and I’m proud to leave this testimonial for my husband, Michael Santos. Although our story is very public, I want to write this testimonial today–even though Michael finished his prison term on August 12, 2013.
Michael and I met when we were in the fifth grade. We attended school in Lake Forest Park, a suburb of North Seattle. We attended the same schools in junior high and we both graduated in 1982 from Shorecrest High School. Despite attending school together, I wouldn’t say we were close friends during those early years of our life.
I didn’t reconnect with Michael until 2002. He engineered that path through all his work in prison. It’s the reason we’re both so passionate now about helping other people document their journey, showing all the ways that they’re working to reconcile with society and make amends.
Michael went into the prison system in 1987, when he was 23. A jury convicted him of trafficking in cocaine. Despite his not having a history of violence or weapons, a federal judge sentenced him to serve a 45-year prison term. While going through that journey, Michael made a commitment to atone for his crimes. He describes putting a three-part plan in place:
1. He would educate himself.
2. He would contribute to society in meaningful, measurable ways.
3. He would work to build a strong support system
By the time I reconnected with Michael, he had already served 16 years in prison. He had earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. He was a published author. Through his work, he inspired other people to get behind him, and support him.
In 2002, I was coordinating the 20-year reunion for our graduating high school class. I received a letter from a student who had been inspired by Michael’s work. That student started to research him, and his research led him to a web page that I was coordinating for our high school reunion.
When I received the letter, I decided to learn more about Michael’s journey through prison. It inspired me to write to him. From that letter, we built a friendship. We fell in love, and I moved to New Jersey where he was confined. On June 24, 2003, we got married in the visiting room at the Fort Dix federal prison.
We began building our life together, always following the same methodical plans that he feels so strongly about–lessons he learned from leaders. In 2024, we started to make changes in our life so that we could devote the rest of our career to working together so that we could make an impact on the lives of others.
I offer this testimonial for Michael because he is the love of my life, and I support the work he has been doing for decades. He works to reconcile with society by sharing the lessons he learned, and also by inspiring others to prepare for success upon release. I see the work he does every day, even though he doesn’t need to do it–and no one pays him to do it.
I admire his commitment, and I hope that others will support his work, too.
Sincerely,
Carole Santos