• Welcome
    • Purpose
    • Statement of Faith
  • My Apology
  • TESTIMONY
    • English
    • Chinese Translation
    • Dutch Translation
    • French Translation
    • German Translation
    • Italian Translation
    • Portuguese Translation
    • Russian Translation
    • Spanish Translation
    • Turkish Translation
  • READY OR NOT...
  • My Story - Videos
    • In His Own Words
    • Video Interviews
    • Written Interviews
    • Son of Hope Gospel Tract
  • Journal
    • 2022 >
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • April 2022
      • *May 2022
      • *June 2022
    • 2021 >
      • January 2021
      • February 2021
      • March 2021
      • April 2021
      • May 2021
      • June 2021
      • July 2021
      • August 2021
      • September 2021
      • October 2021
      • November 2021
      • December 2021
    • 2020 >
      • January 2020
      • February 2020
      • March 2020
      • April 2020
      • May 2020
      • June 2020
      • July 2020
      • August 2020
      • September 2020
      • October 2020
      • November 2020
      • December 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2014-2005
  • Updates
  • For Parents and Students
    • General Advice for Parents
    • Advice For Troubled Teens
    • School Projects
    • Jailhouse Interview
    • A Letter to David from Youth Minister Dan Bailey
    • Suicide is Everyone's Business
    • What is Prison All About?
  • For Satanists
    • A Letter to a Satanist
    • Carl Sartor's Story
    • Satan's Bible
    • Jailhouse Interview
  • A Letter to a Soldier
  • Ministry Tools
  • Insights and Miscellaneous
    • A Letter to North Shore Baptist Church
    • Jesus Christ, the True Treasure and Pearl of Great Price!
    • He Knows Your Name
  • Parole Hearing Transcript 2016
  • Friends
  • Inspirational Testimonies
    • Tracey Anne's Testimony
  • Contact
  • Welcome
    • Purpose
    • Statement of Faith
  • My Apology
  • TESTIMONY
    • English
    • Chinese Translation
    • Dutch Translation
    • French Translation
    • German Translation
    • Italian Translation
    • Portuguese Translation
    • Russian Translation
    • Spanish Translation
    • Turkish Translation
  • READY OR NOT...
  • My Story - Videos
    • In His Own Words
    • Video Interviews
    • Written Interviews
    • Son of Hope Gospel Tract
  • Journal
    • 2022 >
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • April 2022
      • *May 2022
      • *June 2022
    • 2021 >
      • January 2021
      • February 2021
      • March 2021
      • April 2021
      • May 2021
      • June 2021
      • July 2021
      • August 2021
      • September 2021
      • October 2021
      • November 2021
      • December 2021
    • 2020 >
      • January 2020
      • February 2020
      • March 2020
      • April 2020
      • May 2020
      • June 2020
      • July 2020
      • August 2020
      • September 2020
      • October 2020
      • November 2020
      • December 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2014-2005
  • Updates
  • For Parents and Students
    • General Advice for Parents
    • Advice For Troubled Teens
    • School Projects
    • Jailhouse Interview
    • A Letter to David from Youth Minister Dan Bailey
    • Suicide is Everyone's Business
    • What is Prison All About?
  • For Satanists
    • A Letter to a Satanist
    • Carl Sartor's Story
    • Satan's Bible
    • Jailhouse Interview
  • A Letter to a Soldier
  • Ministry Tools
  • Insights and Miscellaneous
    • A Letter to North Shore Baptist Church
    • Jesus Christ, the True Treasure and Pearl of Great Price!
    • He Knows Your Name
  • Parole Hearing Transcript 2016
  • Friends
  • Inspirational Testimonies
    • Tracey Anne's Testimony
  • Contact
AriseandShine.org

January 2017

The Final Salute:  Detective Steven McDonald

1/13/2017

 
I was fortunate to have the day off...
My boss at the library called in sick today. Otherwise I would have spent the day at my job and missed out on what to me was an emotionally touching event... the funeral service for New York City Police Detective Steven McDonald as it was covered live and in its entirety on WPIX-TV.

It was years ago, in July 1986, when uniformed officer Steven McDonald, was shot and paralyzed while patrolling Manhattan's Central Park. I don't know all the circumstances of the shooting as I was already in prison at the time. But Officer McDonald would later go on to forgive and even befriend the young man who shot him.

Although now a quadriplegic, he continued to work for the Police Department as a spokesperson on forgiveness. Officer McDonald became known throughout many parts of the world for this, and I remember reading articles about him as he would visit public schools and other places to proclaim his message.

In fact I was so inspired by his efforts at encouraging forgiveness and reconciliation, that at one time I contemplated reaching out to Detective McDonald to see if he'd be interested in taking letters of apology to the families of my victims. It never worked out, however, as the man who was supposed to contact him never followed through.

It was truly gut-wrenching and even mesmerizing to see such a huge display of grief by so many, along with countless stories of Detective McDonald's life of service to the Cit.y, and beyond. I know he affected my life in a positive way even long before his passing at the age of 59.

My hope is that many people from all walks of life would embrace Detective McDonald's lifestyle of forgiveness for the wrongs that may have been done to them, and that many would follow his example. If this was to happen it, could transform society for the better.

D. B.

Comments are closed.

    Author

    ​​David Berkowitz
    Copyright © AriseandShine.Org

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly