Welcoming John to Ignacio House

"Learning to forgive yourself... It is harder than forgiving another person, but you need to find a way so you can move forward.” - John

Originally from Croatia, John joined the US Marines Corps at 17 and completed multiple tours around the world, including two in the Vietnam War. In 1975 he returned home, suffering from severe PTSD and struggling with substance abuse. It was just a few years later that he  was incarcerated.

He spent the next 36 years in prison, the last 15 of those years training puppies to be bomb sniffing dogs and therapy dogs for veterans and survivors of domestic violence. He has said that those puppies saved his soul and gave him the opportunity to redeem himself. In May 2021, he was up for parole, for what felt like the hundredth time, and was finally connected to Ignacio House of Studies.

Thrive for Life welcomes John to Ignacio House of Studies. We are proud to walk alongside him as he embarks on this next chapter in his life.

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