The future of an 11-year-old boy suddenly turned dark and apparently hopeless after his father was fatally shot during a parking lot quarrel.
But eight years later and now a young man, Colby Leeper, has found hope and kindness—and from a very unlikely source: prisoners on death row.
Compassion, a group founded by death row inmates, has agreed to award Leeper a $1,500 scholarship to pay part of his college education at Missouri Southern State University, The Sacramento Bee reports.
Compassion is financed by contributions from death row inmates. It uses the contributions to provide scholarship funds to family members of murder victims.
Fred Moor, outside coordinator for Compassion, said Leeper won the scholarship because of his sincere heart and indefatigable spirit.
In an essay he submitted to Compassion, Leeper reflected not only on losing his father and the family's breadwinner but also on other people who were likewise affected by his father's death.
"The man who murdered my dad had his own children. They are also victims of this crime. I know it is not their fault. I wish I could change what happened. I could have my dad and they could have theirs," Leeper wrote.
"Violence is senseless. I wish we could all let go of the hate and learn to feel compassion for one another. I learned this lesson the hard way, but it is one I will never forget," he said.
On losing his father, Leeper said, "I understand what it feels like to be lonely, to yearn for something you cannot have, to be lost and sad. I also know what it is like to overcome."
He said he still remembers the day when his mother came to his school to tell him his father had been shot dead.
He felt his world suddenly turned dark after hearing the devastating news.
"That was probably the hardest thing about it," he said.
