Tommy "GUNZ" Vendetta

Allegedly... "Not For Nuttin"

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    I was tried and convicted for my role in pulling off a multi-million dollar jewelry Heist in the year 2000. I was 18 years of age at the time of my crimes. I received a prison sentence of 15-20 years. I saw my 1st parole board on 1-14-15 but was denied release. The parole board woman running point said that if I remained ticket free, got a prison house job and did an anger management program, they would take another look at the decision in 6 months. Bittersweet has been as good as it ever gets for me over the last 15 years as a prisoner.

    I used this horrible punishment as an opportunity to develop my personal values. I realized that ever moment in our lives has purpose, if we make the conscious decision to learn from all of it. The good. The bad. And, the ugly. Each person is accountable for maintaining high moral values. This was a tremendous challenge indeed, but there in lay my greatest opportunity for self development. My perspective allowed a potentially life destroying experience be turned on its head and become a story about personal triumph, change and becoming while traversing the notorious Walpole State Prison.

The prison cells solitariness was a corner stone of the direction into my future life. Time and solitude provided the impetus for my mind to reflect and develop the path I would be taking when this chapter of my life ended. I've realized the potential to live an extraordinary life is inherent to all. I was not made greater by living a soft and easy life. Adversity is the whetstone honing my armamentarium of weapons and tools allowing me to grow and handle the challenges presented by greater and greater opportunities.

All truly great historical figures were presented with extreme adversity, which they overcame; Churchill, King, Ghandi and Mandela. Just to name a few. If they cowered in the face of adversity, their names would have been lost in history, with countless other meek and meager souls.

    I've written a Bio-epic book about my journey entering prison as a youth and surviving inside an unnatural world of existence. Developing true friendships with men of honor and respect. Such as men. The Hollywood smash hit movie, the Departed, was made after another infamous Italian Gangsters that helped mold me into the man I am today. This book depicts all the Roman gladiatorial events and the dark Greek comic displays of savagery. It is a story about personal triumph.

    I hope to encourage by my true story, others to understand that no matter what faces of adversity we are presented with, we have the power inside of us to transform it into our strength and become a greater and more brilliant human being because of it.

 

By: Tommy Delacruz 2/6/15