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