-I’m Proud of You, Mr. Chill-

My good friend Mr. Chill arrived at FMC Rochester about a week after me. His GIANT AFRO made him stand out among the other new arrivals.

I quickly noticed there was something different about this young man with the giant afro. He did NOT join any “group” when he got here. He spent all his free time reading a pile of books from the library. This guy must have said a MAX of 5 words in his first few days.

After about a week of observing Mr. Chill, I walked up to his bunk and introduced myself. His calm demeanor and relaxed voice were refreshing. Prison is full of people trying to yell and talk over each other. Finding another mellow person to hang with was a real blessing.

Over the next few months, Mr. Chill and I became great friends. We would walk the track together for hours and share life stories. He told me how his father abandoned him and his mother when he was young.
His exact words were: “My dad did not love me enough to stick around.” That statement broke my heart. As a father of 4, I know how important it is to let your little ones know they are loved.

I was shocked when Mr. Chill told me he was only 22 years old and still had to serve another 10 years in prison. He will be 33 years old when he finally walks out of these doors.

What was his crime? Well, that’s his story to tell, but here’s the simple version: he joined the Marines at 18 and immediately excelled. He’s one of those REALLY SMART engineer types. While in the military, he decided to sell some “spare” junk parts to pay for gas. Because those “spare” parts had military serial numbers on them, he was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.

Every federal prisoner has their own story of what led them to the wrong side of the law. Mr. Chill has done a phenomenal job taking FULL RESPONSIBILITY for his poor decisions and is doing everything possible to reconcile with society. I respect him so much for accepting responsibility. Most prisoners make excuses and blame others for their circumstances. Mr. Chill is going to make a great husband, father, and neighbor someday.

I firmly believe Mr. Chill will do great things with his life because I’ve personally witnessed him overcome “The Temptation of Prison.” The biggest temptation in prison is making dumb decisions for short-term gratification. Prisoners will steal, lie, or cheat to get something they want—and in the process, they lose the ability to be proud of themselves. It’s a vicious cycle most inmates get stuck in.

A few months into his prison journey here at FMC Rochester, Mr. Chill fell into some old bad habits. Watching him slowly slide into “The Temptation of Prison” was difficult for me. I knew who Mr. Chill REALLY was, and I prayed for the chance to have a constructive conversation with him. He was at a crossroads that could derail him for years—or even decades.

One afternoon in his cell, the perfect moment presented itself. I gently asked him some questions and shared my personal testimony about chasing “short-term rewards.” I explained that NOTHING is worth the collateral consequences of our shortsighted decisions. We talked about how our loved ones end up absorbing the pain of our bad choices.

I told him about the promises I made to Cambria—that I would never lie, cheat, or steal in prison or after my release. I explained that I was determined to use my time productively, to make Noel proud, and to prove myself worthy of her love and support. Mr. Chill listened intently while my own eyes filled with tears. Sharing the promises I made to my family with other prisoners pulls hard on my heart. It brings purpose to my imprisonment. Prison is turning me into a real softy.

I think Mr. Chill leaned in and listened because “my actions in prison spoke louder than my words.” He saw me turn down every stolen item offered to me. He saw me NEVER steal from the chow hall, no matter how easy or tempting it was. He saw me politely say “no thanks” to pornography being passed around. I’d like to think I “earned the right to be heard” by Mr. Chill.

Our conversation ended abruptly when his cellmate walked in. I thanked Mr. Chill for talking with me and excused myself, praying I hadn’t offended him.

A few weeks later, Mr. Chill tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Brett, I’m done doing this stuff. I want to use my time in prison productively like you. I want to make my mom and family proud. I want to show the judge who I really am.”

I quickly congratulated him while fighting back my giant crocodile tears. Told you—prison is turning me into a real softy.

Four months have passed since he made that commitment. In that time, Mr. Chill has written an entire book, taken and completed over 5 ACE classes, joined The House of Healing, and gone back to church.

Just the other day, he told his mom about all he has accomplished in only 4 months—and his big plans for the future. His mom started crying “happy tears” on the phone.

Do you know what she told her son as the tears streamed down her face?

“I’M JUST SO PROUD OF YOU.”

Way to go, Mr. Chill. That’s what I’m talking about!

I have no doubt he’ll continue to use his time productively and live an amazing life after his release.

Look, I’ll keep saying this: I HATE BEING IN PRISON. But I know God is working here. Please continue to pray for breakthrough in this prison and beyond. Mr. Chill and I will keep earning our way home and proving ourselves worthy of our loved ones’ support.

WE PROMISE TO MAKE ALL OF YOU PROUD!!!

Thanks for letting me share Mr. Chill’s incredible story with you. I have a strong feeling there’s more to come.

Love,
Brett

 

-A Quick Note From Brett's Wife, Noél-

It has been 7 months since my husband surrendered to prison. Two months into Brett’s prison sentence, I unexpectedly lost my job. Fear and panic pulsed through my entire body. I was suddenly an unemployed mom to four little ones with a husband who is incarcerated thousands of miles away from us.

Normally, in times like these Brett is my rock and my person I turn to when crisis hits our family. But, unfortunately right now, he is locked in a federal prison and I am left facing this extreme financial crisis alone. The thought of carrying it all by myself has been paralyzing.

As this new reality has set in, I have felt the overwhelming cloud of depression and anxiety surround me, and pain I would not wish upon my worst enemy. 

THANKFULLY, at my absolute lowest point, people like you have stepped in to pick me up off the ground. You have surrounded me, Cambria, Willow, Lula, and Zion with the utmost love, kindness, and support.

From the bottom of my heart:
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
You’ve helped save me and my family.

I’m doing everything humanly possible to:

-Rebuild our financial situation and create stability for our family

-Homeschool my kids 

-Keep our little family afloat until Brett can come home

All this is not easy and is a constant exhausting juggle, but I’m determined to overcome this massive obstacle and show my kids what their momma is made of.

So many of you have offered to send a financial “gift.” Each generous gift truly helps us:

-Stay in our home

-Catch up on overdue bills

-Create some stability for my kids in this storm

There is absolutely no pressure. But, if this is something that is on your heart to help please send your financial "gift" to any of my following accounts. 

-Venmo: @NoelBartlett 

-Zelle: influenceinnovations@gmail.com

-PayPal: influence innovations LLC  https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/RUWMFZF7X6J4Q

-Cash App: @noeldbartlett

 

This is a VERY vulnerable time in our journey. But I am in awe of the people God has brought into our lives and am truly so beyond grateful.

I promise to work hard every single day to provide for my children and get my husband (Brett) back home to us.

Thank you for helping to heal and save our family.

With love, extreme gratitude, and blessings,
Noél