Op-Ed: I Bury the Dead—But I believe in second chances for the living

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April is known for blooming flowers, longer days, and signs of new life—but it’s also Second Chance Month, and I believe in it with my whole heart.

On April 22 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM, Brian Hamilton, founder of the Inmates to Entrepreneurs (I2E) program, will lead a special 90-minute Correctional Facility Boot Camp at Davidson Correctional Center (1400 Thomason Street, Lexington). This session is part of his decades-long mission to help justice-involved individuals find new paths through small business ownership.

As a funeral home director, I see people at their most vulnerable. I sit with families grieving unexpected loss—some to natural causes, some to the long tail of addiction, incarceration, or violence. Too often, I see how systems fail people before I ever meet them in death.

But I’ve also seen something else: transformation. I’ve sat beside men and women who’ve served their time and walked out of prison gates determined to never go back. I’ve had a friend who just needed one person to look past a record and see a human being. I’ve watched second chances turn into stable careers, reunited families, and changed legacies.

Second Chance Month, founded by Prison Fellowship in 2017, is about more than policy. It’s about people. It’s about recognizing that redemption is possible and that our communities are stronger when we believe in rehabilitation, not just punishment.

Here in Davidson County, we’ve got folks coming home every day—ready to prove they’re more than their worst mistake. The question is: Are we ready to receive them?

We need employers willing to hire. We need landlords willing to rent. We need churches, nonprofits, and neighbors who offer dignity over judgment. Because let’s be real—none of us would want to be remembered forever for the worst thing we’ve done.

Let this April be a reminder: Spring is for second chances. And our county is better when we believe in the possibility of change.