Inmates at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, the largest maximum-security prison in the U.S.— a facility about the size of Manhattan— had a special opportunity to create new, magical memories with the daughters they left behind. The non-profit organization, God Behind Bars, collaborated with the prison to host its first-ever Daddy-Daughter Dance. And trust us when we say, you’ll need to grab your tissues!
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According to KBTX News, prison officials selected 30 inmates to participate in the dance based on specific criteria, including good behavior. The prison’s Bible College was all decked out, complete with a pink carpet and flowers as the dads and daughters dressed up in tuxedos and pretty party dresses.
The inmates, many of whom hadn’t seen their little girls in years, practiced their moves until they were able to surprise them with a near-perfect version of the “Boots on the Ground” line dance.
Leslie Harris, who has nine years remaining on his sentence for armed robbery, said he got emotional when he saw his 17-year-old daughter and thought about all of the special moments in her life he’ll miss while he’s behind bars.
“Seeing her in a dress, crying and running to me just broke me down,” he told CBS News. “It made me think of all the years I missed out on in her life.”
Many who have seen the now-viral clips of the dads and daughters on social media were just as emotional, and celebrated the prison for allowing the men to show up for their daughters in suits rather than prison uniforms.
“They gave those babies memories & the men a reason not to reoffend. This is so good for everyone involved, I’m sobbing over stranger’s memories,” wrote someone on TikTok.
Jake Bodine, founder of God Behind Bars, told KBTX that he believes the event is an important part of the rehabilitation process, adding that he hopes allowing the inmates to share that special time with their daughters will help give them a renewed sense of purpose.
Angola Prison, also called the “Alcatraz of the South,” has been historically overcrowded and violent, with limited access to rehabilitation programs. The facility, that’s remote and self-contained with its own farms, livestock, and even a cemetery for inmates who die there, has faced numerous human rights criticisms throughout the years.
Bodine added that the special event is what’s “really the heart of it at the end of the day. Show these individuals who is counting on them, and once they realize the weight of that, they will hold themselves accountable for change.”
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