Inmate offers to donate bone marrow to judge who put him in prison
In a striking act of kindness, a judge received a letter from an inmate that he helped put behind bars in which the inmate offered to donate his bone marrow to the ailing judge.
In a striking act of kindness, a judge received a letter from an inmate that he helped put behind bars in which the inmate offered to donate his bone marrow to the ailing judge.
Superior Court Judge Carl Fox, who is fighting blood cancer, was touched by the letter he received from 62-year-old Charles Alston offering to be a bone marrow donor. Although Alston was ineligible to become a donor, since inmates are not allowed on the donor list for fear of infection, Fox was grateful for the gesture of kindness.
“He had every reason to be angry with me, given where he is and the sentence he was given,” Fox said. “It means even that much more he did that given the circumstances.”
Alston sent the letter from prison, where he is currently serving a 25-year sentence for armed robbery.
“You were the District Attorney during the course of my trial, where I received a 25 year sentencing … There is no hatred or animosity in my heart towards you … I know you are in need of a matching donor for bone marrow. I may or may not be a match, but would have been willing to make the sacrifice if needed,” Alston wrote.
When asked to explain his generosity, Alston said that he believed Fox had saved his life by sending him to jail and wanted to return the favor.
“I had a lot of hate for Mr. Fox because he sentenced me to so much time, but I come to church a lot, I found God. So, I thought maybe if I could do something for someone else, I’d do it,” he said.
