Giving Back Behind Bars

March 12, 2018 at 5:18 p.m.

By -

Editor, Times-Union:

Michael Hale is an exceptional person. Even though he has been incarcerated for 11 years, he is not a bitter man. He still continues to find ways to help people he loves and try to give something beneficial to others. I know he has done a wonderful thing for me and my family.

When Michael found out that my mother was going to inherit some money from her husband's unforeseen death, he never thought of what he could benefit from it, he only thought of how he could help us out. He got with his sister and her husband, Scott and Jodi Zook, and found a way to help all of us.

I met Michael 20 years ago and we recently reunited. He found that I was a struggling single mother of five children.  Three of them I adopted seven years ago and the other two I have recently received custody of. I worked two jobs for many years to support us, most days 16 hours. I was wearing myself out pretty much. I worked so much to keep the kids in private school because we lived in a poverty area and I was afraid of their well-beings in public school and I wanted them to have a better chance at a good education.

Well, Michael developed an idea to benefit all of us. He knew his sister and her husband were ready for some changes in their lives and we were as well. He did some bargaining and figuring till we could reach a good figure. He was able to make a deal for us to purchase Scott and Jodi's two homes and their restaurant. A dream he knew I have always had. To live in a good community and run my own business.

When we found out that my mother, Caroline Johnston, was not going to receive enough money to pay for the whole amount, Michael went back to them and restructured the deal so we were able to purchase the deal. He did all this for his family. He has never asked for anything in return, just love from us. He put all of us into a safe environment with a great chance for a better future.

I just wanted to print this to thank him publicly for doing and giving back to this world when he didn't have to. I am proud to say I am your fiancée and you are the love of my life. Thank you so much.

Also, a special thanks to Caroline Johnston, who made the financial part happen, even though it was through rough circumstances, the losing of her husband, Thomas Johnston. To Scott and Jodi Zook for being so flexible, and mostly to God who did the most work.

Dawn Hall

North Manchester

Editor, Times-Union:

Michael Hale is an exceptional person. Even though he has been incarcerated for 11 years, he is not a bitter man. He still continues to find ways to help people he loves and try to give something beneficial to others. I know he has done a wonderful thing for me and my family.

When Michael found out that my mother was going to inherit some money from her husband's unforeseen death, he never thought of what he could benefit from it, he only thought of how he could help us out. He got with his sister and her husband, Scott and Jodi Zook, and found a way to help all of us.

I met Michael 20 years ago and we recently reunited. He found that I was a struggling single mother of five children.  Three of them I adopted seven years ago and the other two I have recently received custody of. I worked two jobs for many years to support us, most days 16 hours. I was wearing myself out pretty much. I worked so much to keep the kids in private school because we lived in a poverty area and I was afraid of their well-beings in public school and I wanted them to have a better chance at a good education.

Well, Michael developed an idea to benefit all of us. He knew his sister and her husband were ready for some changes in their lives and we were as well. He did some bargaining and figuring till we could reach a good figure. He was able to make a deal for us to purchase Scott and Jodi's two homes and their restaurant. A dream he knew I have always had. To live in a good community and run my own business.

When we found out that my mother, Caroline Johnston, was not going to receive enough money to pay for the whole amount, Michael went back to them and restructured the deal so we were able to purchase the deal. He did all this for his family. He has never asked for anything in return, just love from us. He put all of us into a safe environment with a great chance for a better future.

I just wanted to print this to thank him publicly for doing and giving back to this world when he didn't have to. I am proud to say I am your fiancée and you are the love of my life. Thank you so much.

Also, a special thanks to Caroline Johnston, who made the financial part happen, even though it was through rough circumstances, the losing of her husband, Thomas Johnston. To Scott and Jodi Zook for being so flexible, and mostly to God who did the most work.

Dawn Hall

North Manchester
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