Strawberry finding new ways to preach his message of love
NEW YORK — Former Mets and Yankees slugger Darryl Strawberry has been a touring minister for greater than a decade, and he is discovered a brand new venue to evangelise the gospel — the penitentiary.
Strawberry, 60, made it recognized not too long ago that he needs to pay it ahead when visiting troubled people within the jail system. As not too long ago as November, he visited two New Jersey penitentiaries, and he got here to the conclusion that each one the inmates wanted was love.
“That was something that was lacking in their lives growing up — being loved,” Strawberry stated by way of phone. “Love conquers everything — to be able to know that you are loved regardless of what has happened in your circumstances.”
Strawberry has attained a lot success, one of many high sluggers for the Mets through the Eighties and a precious bench participant through the Yankees dynasty of the Nineties.
“[The inmates] know I don’t should do it,” he said. “The individuals — the wardens — that run and management the power notice I’m not coming in there for a present.”
But he additionally is aware of what it’s wish to be incarcerated. In 2002 he served just a little greater than a 12 months of a 22-month sentence for violating non-drug-related guidelines at his drug therapy heart.
“The biggest thing I learned while I was [in prison] was, I didn’t belong there,” he stated. “I noticed it was turning into part of my journey of what was taking place to me and the place I used to be in life on the time. At the identical time, the love I’ve acquired from different individuals whereas I used to be away was actually essential for me.”
Strawberry’s siblings and Mets historian Jay Horwitz supplied the love whereas he was incarcerated.
“Jay didn’t have to come see me when I was locked up,” Strawberry stated. “He would get my opinion on some things. It was just the love that had him think of me as someone important. I paid attention to all the details of my life when I was going through my struggles — the unconditional love that people were giving to me at that time.”
While in jail, Strawberry thought of his mom, Ruby, who was probably the most optimistic affect in his life, who instructed her son to point out respect irrespective of who he was and what he went by, in addition to former Mets teammate Gary Carter.
Strawberry stated Carter’s love was totally different from that of different gamers he met.
“[His] love was sincere,” Strawberry stated of Carter, who handed away in 2012. “I watched him from a distance. I admired what he had in his life. I wasn’t a kind of guys who had been jealous or envious towards him. Why would I be? I used to be younger and nice at what I used to be doing. …
“I thought he lived life with love in his heart. He displayed it and made sure that everybody knew he loved and cared for them regardless if you didn’t love him or not. That’s very powerful. I learned some valuable things from him that helped me spring forth in life. I want to give that back to somebody else.”
Strawberry is planning to go to extra penitentiaries across the U.S. this 12 months and guarantee inmates that their lives should not over.
“The [inmates] need to hear from someone like me about the importance of life not being a mistake,” he stated. “I’ve had an enjoyable time [talking to them]. I’m probably going to do a lot of prison ministry this year, even cutting away [from] going to a lot of churches to speak. I just feel compelled to go back behind the gates and be a part and speak life with those guys.”
