Woman becomes prison pen pals with the 13-year-old child who shot her in the face and helps him
This story is about true forgiveness and the harsh facts of life, and it comes from Florida, USA. It’s about a woman who was shot in the face by a 13-year-old boy who was forced to be there during a mugging.
She made it out alive, discovered the boy was so little, forgave him, and wrote him letters while in prison. She later assisted him in regaining his freedom!
On July 27th, 1990, this tragedy occurred. Ian Manuel, at 13 years old, was living in one of Tampa Bay’s most tumultuous and severe housing projects. Debbie Baigrie and a bunch of friends were passing by.
Ian became involved with a group of troubled older teenagers who wanted Ian to join them and told him to mug Debbie and her friend. Ian became a part of the mugging because he was confused and under the terrifying demands of his neighborhood’s older males.
Ian shot Debbie in the lower side of the face. Debbie made it through the terrible experience. Ian was later charged and confessed to everything.
Debbie had to go through 40 different dental procedures before she was able to recover and resume her life.
But she couldn’t get her mind off the traumatic incident that could have easily taken her life, and she couldn’t get her mind off the small child who had done it.
Debbie spoke about it in an interview with PEOPLE:
“I was certainly afraid and in agony in the days following the tragedy,” she said.
“Who could have done this?” she kept thinking.
Debbie noted when she learned the youngster was 13:
“13?! No way a 13-year-old boy could have shot me. He’s only a kid.”
Ian is sentenced to life in prison
Ian was sentenced to life in prison when he was only 14 years old. Ian was the one who confessed without hesitation, and none of the older teens involved were ever recognized. Debbie was outraged to learn that the young child had been sentenced to an adult prison.
She mentioned it in an interview with TODAY:
“The judge said, ‘Mr. Manuel, we’re going to make an example of you,’”
“The sentenced him to an adult prison … To me, that was heartbreaking.”
Ian apologizes to Debbie over the phone from prison
Ian couldn’t bear the shame of what he did to Debbie after two years in prison. He finally called Debbie on her cell phone to apologize for his actions. Ian described how he felt when he contacted Debbie from prison to TODAY:
“As soon as she accepted the call I said, ‘Miss Baigrie, this is Ian. I’m just calling to tell you I’m sorry for shooting you, and I wish you and your family a merry Christmas,’”
“That’s what I blurted out. What do you say to somebody you shot, you know?”
Debbie told TODAY about how Ian’s phone call affected her:
“I was shaken by it because it was still so fresh at the time,”
“But he called to apologize. I found it unusual and rare, especially from somebody that young.”
Debbie, on the other hand, was not ready to forgive him just yet, as she told PEOPLE:
“I didn’t consciously forgive him,”
“It was just over time, when I got through my trauma.”
A friendship begins to grow
Ian began writing Debbie letters from prison over time. They were well-written and emotive, demonstrating Ian’s intelligence and brilliance. Debbie discussed the letters with TODAY:
“He was so young, but his letters were so intelligent. I’m not sure if he’d begun high school yet.”
“Wow, this kid is smart,” I thought. Let us not squander this opportunity. Let’s give him an opportunity to prove himself. He was astute and repentant.”
Debbie began writing back to Ian, and the two began communicating through their letters, eventually becoming prison pen buddies. Debbie went on to say:
“Even though he was young, he was thoughtful,” says the narrator.
“You could see how considerate he was from his letters. They were exceptionally well constructed.”
Ian was finally forgiven by Debbie. PEOPLE asked her about it, and she said:
“He was in his early twenties. It was a mistake. It wasn’t difficult for me to forgive him.”
Ian, whose emotions had taken over him, told PEOPLE:
“She took on the role of mother to me.” She aided in my maturation.”
Debbie began advising Ian, telling him that he needed to acquire his GED and work on himself and his future. She began to care for Ian as if he were a child.
When Ian was 40, the Supreme Court determined that youngsters who had committed murder should not be sentenced to life in prison — Ian was finally set free.
Ian was being sent to Alabama to participate in an EJI program that helps young people recover from their time in prison. However, he met Debbie beside a petrol station before the move.
“Ian and I got out of the cars and we hugged for two minutes,”
“It was like a long lost reunion. It was so nice.”
“I figure if I didn’t help and support him, it would be a life lost. And my life wasn’t lost, and I felt like his punishment was way beyond what it should have been.”
“We all make mistakes, we all try our best, and life is so short. And if anybody knows how your life can be gone in one minute, it’s me. I understand that. We have to forgive, because it helps us heal.”
Ian and Debbie are still friends, and they’ve taught everyone a valuable lesson about true forgiveness. Ian is now in college and constantly talks about Debbie’s profound influence on his life.
