Woman got emotional dancing with inmate dad in prison — but it was his innocent question that left her crying in his arms
A few experiences that one takes for granted might be monumental for some people. An inmate's daughter felt the same as she slow-danced with her dad. The woman's dad, Leslie, had been incarcerated at a Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. So they had never gotten the opportunity to dance with each other. Until an organization, "God Behind Bars," got together with the prison authorities and organized a father-daughter dance for the inmates. It left both of them in tears, per Newsweek.
"When I turned around and saw my baby in that dress and she busted out crying...I sobbed, man and I ain't no crier. We slow-danced and she was crying again. I said, 'Baby, why are you crying?' and she said, 'Dad, I finally get a chance to dance with you for the first time.' I told my brothers, 'Look, brother...this'll make you want to do right. If you ain't doing right, bro, you got to do right,'" Leslie told the outlet. Many of the fathers in the facility had not seen their daughters for several years, so it was a very emotional moment for them. It was the first annual event of its kind there. God Behind Bars also explained why such an event was an important thing for both the incarcerated individuals and their daughters.
"Children with incarcerated parents are among the most vulnerable in America. Events like this matter deeply. Research shows that fatherless daughters face higher risks of low self-esteem, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and incarceration," the organization pointed out. "It is so important for fathers to be involved in their daughters' lives, no matter where they are, in order to break the cycle of incarceration, instill self-confidence and so many other things that fatherless daughters are more susceptible to," Anne-Marie Easely, the assistant warden at the facility, added. Kevin, another incarcerated father, felt that he got to see a new side of himself and the other inmates because of the event.
"We're supposed to be the worst of the worst and the hardest of the hardest...and we walk around like that sometimes. Seeing all of us together with our kids, the loves of our lives, with no masks...that was cool," Kevin remarked. "It's hard to put into words what took place at the first-ever Daddy Daughter Dance inside Angola prison. I watched a group of men stand with pride and dignity, shedding every label the world had ever put on them. For one night, they were not inmates. They were Dad. And the empty places in every heart were filled with joy, laughter and a love only God can author," Jake Bodine, the founder of God Behind Bars, told the outlet.
The event could be organized because of the help and efforts of several people and organizations. Many volunteers helped the daughters get ready for the event and Jessica Haynes, a professional makeup artist, participated, too. Amor Suits donated custom tuxedos for the dads and T3 Micro donated gift bags with hair and makeup products for the girls. The Seminary Lecture Room of the facility was decorated to be used as a venue for the dance and Thanksgiving dinner for the families. 37 daughters and 29 fathers participated in the event. The ages of the daughters were from 5 to 20.