In 2007, Barbara Mangi’s daughter Dana, 25, was murdered. Mangi not only has forgiven the murderer, but she writes occasional letters to him in prison, where he is serving a 35-year sentence.
“I was angry at first, but I didn’t want horrible things to happen to him. I just wanted justice.”
At the sentencing, “my heart was still hardened.” The murderer said how very sorry he was. He told them he never meant to hurt Dana and “all he was able to do for the rest of his life was pray for us.”
Mangi remembers that “he had a quivering voice and tears in his eyes. At that moment, I actually realized I felt compassion for him. That’s how my forgiveness started.”
“After I was able to forgive him, I felt so much more freedom!” (Reawakening: Return of Lightness and Peace after My Daughter’s Murder.)
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