Dewey Bozella was locked up for 26 years - a lifetime - for a crime he did not commit. This story is about the triumph of human spirit and living proof of the maxim: "never give up". One man's journey to reclaim his life, against all odds; a man fighting his biggest fight outside the boxing ring without any hatred or bitterness towards the system. Dewey Bozella - courageous, persistent, human and finally...free.

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  • Doris

    Faith and trust, God provided as He always will. Truth will out!

  • Beth McBride-Labrozzi

    This man's persistence and ability to forgive is amazing! What a wonderful message and example for others to learn from!

  • Jyoti

    👍 What a positivity and faith

  • Michelle

    Dewey has interior freedom regardless of where he is. I hope he is doing great.

  • Evelyn warr henry

    He came through victorious. I love that

  • Evelyn Warr

    I admire Dewey and want to meet him.

  • E, Love

    What inspired you about this video? I'm sure you Inspire us all to go deeper and reach Higher!

  • E. Love

    Ohh, Mr. Dewey- you are the epitome of Integrity, Hope, Perseverance, Faith and Love!and your beautiful wife who stood by you..I pray that God will restore all the years the enemy stole from you both and give you the desires of your heart(s). Restoration 100 fold and I agree, for a Movie about your life, it will inspire billions. God keep you both!!

  • Rainy

    Dewey has inspired me to be a more gracious in life, to count blessings and utilize assets at hand, to maintain integrity, and to forgive..... If there is no forgiveness, the pain turns to poison that will kill the spirit. Thank you for your inspiration, Dewey...have a happy, full life!

  • beyond

    He was framed jailed for no rhyme or reason and he accepted the punishment for 20 long years. why must he have to accept the wrong...??? the lesson I learn is to "stand for FREEDOM, to stand for the TRUTH... irrespective of the problems that one may face and the outcome." otherwise one will be slaved...

  • Govind Patel

    What inspired you about this video? How persistent and patience Dewey was without anger or resentment for so many years!

  • cindy miller

    I thought true inspiration was non-existent. You proved me wrong, at my age. Angels are with you, my friend.

  • Fran

    Dewey, you inspired me to Never compromise my integrity and values, no matter what the price. Your courage and strength are amazing and a testimony to the power of tapping into one's Inner Resources.

  • Gerard

    He's living proof that Jesus Christ walked this earth!!! He is a part of us every single moment and it's up each one to spread LOVE, help each other and to forgive. We all have it in us!!!

  • Karima

    Congratulations Dewey. I feel sad for all those years lost but through the loss of freedom as an innocent man you found strength and peace to carry on against all odds. May you and your wife celebrate every day, find happiness, peace and joy together. Not only did you win your own battle you are now helping other's win theirs. Namaste, may your light always shine! You are an inspiration to anyone fortunate enough to hear your story!!

  • Loni

    He is truly a highly developed spiritual being!

  • kathy

    he inspires me..............

  • Francis Siguty

    Patience, perseverance & forgiving attitude. Magnificent

  • Tineke

    The strength to go on without hating the persons who were responsible.

  • kate

    Mr and Mrs Bozella you are an inspiration and a film should be made of your life. What a man.

  • Deborah

    Forgiveness, moving on.

  • Family

    Inspiration to no end. <3

  • Dean

    Now that was inspiring and it inspired me to keep going even though the road is rough and nothing appears to change.

  • Nick

    An inspiring tale of determination and forgiveness. May Dewey be happy and free.

  • mo

    dewey if you ever read this-may God add another 30 years to your lifer and may they be wonderful and full of health and joy !

  • Mitzi

    The quickness with which he was able to forgive. To Let Go and Let God move him forward. I loved that he nurtured his mind and took classes as well. That to him his integrity meant everything. The clear love that shone through between he and his wife and that there was a willing legal team and Detective that never gave up on him!

  • Mitzi

    This video was so inspiring! Dewey Bozella is truly a Hero in so many ways! After watching this, the things in my life that I called problems became less and less. Would love to learn more about what he has done with his life since this video was made.

  • David Levins

    Dewey Bozella is a true hero.

  • Mish

    I have no words.... just immense admiration & respect , for the person he is. Amazing. Dewey, you rock, man! :)))

  • nEERAJ

    This is just out of the world. DEWEY BOZELLA CAN BE A MENTOR TO THIS HUMAN RACE. CAN I GET HIS EMAILL ID/CONTACT #. I SALUTE HIM.

  • Lauren

    Wow.... this is amazing. When I think of the small obstacles that we allow ourselves to be discouraged by, and the compromises we too often make to resist the slightest discomfort or confrontation, this man exemplifies a courage rarely found in our society, and a determination I admire.

  • Lisa

    Wow, wow, wow...what lessons and light we have to learn from this man...a true inspiration

  • Irene Schneider

    Dewey's understanding of and determination to "live the Truth," which needs no justification. His understanding of True Forgiveness which has set him free. I am honored to know his story and will share with many. His courage to give up hatred and bitterness is a beautiful light for us all!

  • Paige B.

    This man is a true testament to "patience" and "never giving up hope". I wish he was elevated to the status as celebrity for his enduring strength and story, rather than the people we glorify in our society today.

  • monalisha

    Being Hopeful

  • Jeffrey Farrar Dean

    I feel him, cause I've been him and I know the despair one feels while in that hell. I can appreciate him for his determination and strength.

  • Terry Beer

    I'll never complain again about a bad day, about the weather, about an inconsiderate driver, about anything... Dewey Bozella has shown me how to Live. Thank You Dewey.

  • Debra Henson

    Dewey's strength,determination and his ability to stay true to himself!

  • ygoagirl41

    Inspired on so many levels...we all put ourselves in our own prisons...the only way out is by living our truth, forgiveness (ourselves and others), recognizing that every step in our lives-no matter how difficult they are-become stepping stones bringing us closer to the person we are meant to be. We all have the power to create the life we want to live no matter what our circumstances are. Sometimes we have no control over what happens to us but we have control over how we respond....

  • Sher

    We all know it would have been easier on Dewey if he would have filed that guilty plea. Dewey never compromised his principles and made the best of the worst situation imaginable. That takes courage, determination and strength above what is considered mortal. He is truly a beautiful person.

  • Sethi

    Thank you very much . Inspirational . Not giving up till the truth emerges and being at peace from within .

  • cathy

    This is the kind of human being i admire and aspire to be like. To rise above the worst most injust circumstances is a what the great masters talk about , that nothing outside can rob you of your peace..... thank you for sharing his story.

  • Peter

    This remarkable man came to understand the greatest lesson of life in terrible circumstances. That truth, justice and the ability to be true to yourself in all things, whatever the cost, are the definition of health

  • Marie

    Dewey Bozella said, 'He kept going, to fight for 'a worthy cause,' 'his freedom!’ Finally justice was won! Let his experience empower others to keep going through the darkness until the light appears; and may the most amazing life unfold for all those, who have worthy causes in their hearts that’s fired by their soul, the power of their truth!

  • Marco

    Its brilliant..It's REAL....

  • Dave

    Just kept going with an iron will and a heart full of grace....excellent teacher.

  • Scott

    Dewy, is a man of great principal and strength...Wow!!! Dewy, you are an amazing example to everyone. Dewy's case is a solid example why I will not support capital punishment. Human beings the legal system, and organizations are made up of people that make mistakes, or are forced to compromise their individual values/ethics. There are too many examples of wrongful convictions - and many more that will never be recognized.

  • D

    It is the deep down inside courage to stay focused on his integrity, his dignity, and deep hope that he never gave in on his hope to be FREE!! Free of the murder reputation, free of man's conviction, free of guilt in his heart. All this gave him his inner peace, stamina to make a life, not pure existence. This peace gave no room for anger. Trials make the man. Without trials, what character or dignity have, "you".

  • Hugh

    I was touched at the complete lack of anger from Dewey, just pure self belief and loving people around him mainly himself - thanks for sharing.

  • Thia

    Sharing the brilliant, bright light of your soul and your story is a blessing to all who are privileged to hear it. I pray for justice to return to our "justice system," through the hearts of people with integrity like you.

  • Lou

    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for both of your examples. God bless you!

  • Yasemin

    Mr.Bozella, You still have love, ambition, vision, and faith in your life after all that you've been through. It's very admirable. Blessings to you and your wife. You are model citizens of the world.

  • michele

    Great life lessons on honor, integrity, and believe in self! I will be sharing it with my son. Thank you and God Bless YOU & your wife!

  • cynette

    kudos to you mr. bozella. :)

  • Donna

    The odds were so against Dewey but he kept on fighting. He is such a brave man to take on the system and win.

  • Yaji

    I started watching it and my 10 year old joined me! we finished watching the story together almost in tears, how inspiring!!

  • Julie

    Belief in yourself and the power to overcome any adversity- Mr Bozella a true inspiration to the human race- if you believe it can happen...

  • Shamine

    Mr. Bozella, as I watchded the video about your life and everything you have endured, I will say as some other people said here on the comment section that you were most definitely strong and had a will to survive and prove your innocence. What you endured definitely was not for the faint of heart. Also, I asked the question, "Why does God allow things such as this; an innocent man to spend 27 yrs. of his life in prison for a crime he did NOT commit"? The only answer that I can come up with is that through it all, God showed who He REALLY is; a DELIVERER & STRONGTOWER. In the process, YOUR faith was being built and you had to exercise it (faith) for 27 yrs. If you got through this, your FAITH will get you through anything. I will say that your 'latter years will be greater than your past'!! God bless you!

  • Billie

    I can only believe it was through the grace of GOD that he was able to endure those years of injustice. He could, and would have all the right to be a very bitter man. I believe the State of New York owes him big time. Thank God also for the Innocence Project. Mr. Bozella, I give God all the glory for your innocence and your freedom. While you will not get all those lost years back, trust and believe that God will bless your life tremendously from this day forward. Just keep HIM first in your life, and everything will be alright in Jesus' name. Amen. You have a beautiful wife that stayed in your corner, and thank God for that as well. To GOD be the glory.

  • judith legault

    wow fabulous makes our problems look small

  • dean obrien

    you have to be a strong man to spend 30 yrs locked up wheh u was not guiltyi wouldnt say i killed someone when i didnt do it just like u you never gave up strong will to clear your name you also learned forgiveness something so people cant do remember this story think u were in northern ky. cincinnati area im from that area think you won that fight in the ring and the fight for your life

  • Garth Waldroipt

    Mr Dewey Bozella you have inspired me to tears which I could stop.That from pain and disappointment you have endured, one can change it around to JOY, HUMANITARIANISM, HOPE AND GOODWILL. If we can all learn by your example we will go a long way to having a better world.

  • barbara

    He is so inspiring. All humans should have 1/4 of the integrity he has shown. Miracles do happen...

  • Nora

    As I watch your video and struggle today with my own personnel struggle, I know I have to develp a way to let "it" go and only move forward - never look back and never let the "what if" keep me distracted. Be well Dewey !!

  • Maria

    What an inspirational figure. Thanks for your story Mr. Bozella.

  • Georges Tchuileng,CS

    Truth is always the victor. Thank you for sharing this.It is wonderfully helpful for those struggling with injustice or for the cause of justice.

  • Steve

    The people (the prosecutor & police) that hid the evidence which showed he was innocent show be made into an example, and be thrown in prison for 10 years. This would be a wake up call to other police and prosecutors to not intentionally hide the truth. This is just another form of government corruption - seeking a conviction to put a feather in their cap versus seeking the truth.

  • amy

    What an inspiration!

  • balbero

    Dewey's humility shows he is not a human being but a humane being. lessons n acceptance and self beleif.

  • Greg

    "That resentment can be a worst emprisionment than the actual physical one & that Forgiveness has the Power to make you Free".

  • Mary

    I truly enjoyed the spirit of faith that Dewey held on to thru all of the years that the truth would be found and he would be set free. Also his faith found in Jesus Christ and the fact of him not becoming lost in bitterness---a powerful lesson in life.

  • Margrit

    What inspired me about this video - everything!.. a man , a brilliant man who is not hard and bitter when such an injustice has kept him locked up for most of his life. Incredible! This man is an exceptional human being. A true hero.

  • Denise Cetrulo

    Dewey went on and fought his first professional fight as a free man at age 52. He fought on the Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson card. Dewey won his fight with a unanimous decision. What an exceptional human being he really is. God speaks to us through people every day...we just need to pay attention.

  • Arita Trahan

    "I had to make myself happy".

  • bilkis

    what an inspiring story of courage and resilience, he is an example to learn for the many who give up easily or just become too bitter and give up easily

  • James

    this is such a powerful story and example of never giving up and keeping a forgiving heart. I pray he goes out there and spread the word of encouragement to others that may be on the verge of giving up.

  • Maria

    I loved Dewey's persistence and courage, and graciousness in how he lives his life. Very impressive.

  • Rom

    Dewey is a great example of someone who never gave up and stuck to the truth. The truth will set you free they say, it did for him. A true testament to enduring and having faith, as well as moving on with his life and forgiving those that may done him wrong. My hats off to this human being.

  • Pamela Alfred

    I was inspired by Nelson Mandela and his mantra while serving imprisonment, "It matters not how strait the gate. How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Having found this video provided me with the courage needed at this time. I just lost my job by false accusations. I needed encouragement. This reminded me also of what Dr. Martin Luther King said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it curves toward justice."

  • Jim Baker

    Deweys conviction that he would not claim responsability for a crime he did not commit. He stood fast and tall even when freedom was used as bait to get him to confess. He demonstrated courage and tenacity to become a better man while living in "that box". But most of all his ability to forgive inspires me and makes me think about petty situations in my own life where I could have thought and acted differently. To forgave let go and move on. I wish I could meet this man someday. I hope I never forget the importance of what I learned from Dewey.

  • david cusack

    Shame on a district attorney's office that would hide evidence and then reward a man for perjuring himself. Some serious flaws in the system revealed here.

  • irene douglas

    This video touched my heart. It brought to my mind all the corruption throughout the world is being uncovered and its people like Dewey who God is using to do this.May God bless him and his family abundantly.They are an inspiration to all of us.

  • Jeremy

    There's much to be admired here. But what inspires me most is Dewey's commitment to moving forward after his release from prison, his determinatuion not to take revenge because he knows, he understands, that this would be wasting the precious time that he has left as a free man.

  • 2R

    So MUCH InJUSTICE in this world. So proud for this Man.. Determination,Faith and Justice CAN prevail.. God Bless US.

  • Venu Mohan Madhavan

    The power of the " HONEST LIBERAL INDIVIDUAL"....living life to its fullest. Another true Gandhian!

  • Min.M.Annette Graham Quick

    That the wrong that took 26 years of his life, HAS been reversed. God blessed him with freedom from prision. But, even greater is His Soul And HEART IS FREE FROM ANGER AND BLAME. He is truly FREE ! God bless him and family. In Jesus name. Amen

  • shelley

    never loose hope... stay focused and fight for ur right u will get it... we need courage patience and positive thinking & approach to achieve our goal! so inspiring!!!

  • dianne

    His quiet determination. I wonder how many others are incarcerated or have been who have been innocent. Its been easy to jail people just to close a case, especially in the past. Somehow the records disappear. Thank god one man kept some records.

  • Laura

    Dewey's story made me realize that I've been living in a box too, though a more comfortable one. I've known for a while it was time to move on from my profession as a web developer, but I've lacked the courage to puruse something closer to my heart out of economic fear and general lassitude. This story reminded me that to be truly free I must offer the world the best of what I have. Thanks, Dewey.

  • Ajay

    His battle to gain freedom is amazing. I will never forget this story and the new lease on life that Dewey was granted. The lesson learned for me is that never look back at those that persecuted / tormented you but to always look to the future with a powerful vision. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story.

  • Hana

    WOW...I cannot express in words what an inspiration Dewey has been. He has conducted his life in such an honorable way. And his loving wife, she too is an inspiration to the power of love. Thank you for sharing.

  • Menno

    Thank you

  • lovegratitude12

    Every thing...this is one of the best experiences of my life. Thank you kindly for sharing this.

  • Rhonda

    Forgiveness is the heart of healing. This man truly knows what happiness is about. What an inspiration. I am deeply grateful.

  • bilkis

    wonderful story of courage, strentgh of character,the spirit to survive and faith that justice will prevail, we all need to get our inspiration from such people

  • Lina

    The integrity Dewey showed; the truth that spoke through him; the proof that nothing, including his freedom, was worth losing his integrity. The manifestation of that is so clear in his willingness to forgive and walk out of prison a free man, in more ways than one!

  • Sman

    Somehow we all need to take to heart Dewey's persistence and forgiveness.

  • Gaby

    This video gave me hope that somehow some way there is justice, karma and that no matter what happens in life NEVER EVER GIVE UP YOUR DREAMS OR YOUR LOVE OF LIFE! XOXOXO

  • Mel

    Seeing the light in his eyes, heart and soul; his inner wisdom being a Master teacher of integrity and faith for so many people. Forgiveness is the most potent medicine. God bless you Dewey... Thank you for your light...

  • samara

    It brought tears to my eyes.....a great reminder that Love and Forgiveness are the answer!!!

  • Page 1

  • Find out about the Innocence Project, stepping in to help when the system gets it wrong.
  • The Arthur Ashe Award celebrates courage. Read about other inspirational journeys.
  • Next time you are trapped in a traffic jam, think about this video.  Gratitude is a wonderful thing.

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