This story, from Florida, USA, is about pure forgiveness and the raw realities of life. It’s about a woman who got shot in the face during a mugging by a 13-year-old boy who was forced to be there.
She survived, found out that the boy was so young, forgave him, and exchanged letters while in prison. She later helped him in getting his freedom back!
That Unfortunate Day
This incident occurred on July 27th, 1990. Ian Manuel was only 13-years-old, living in one of the most turbulent & extreme housing projects in the Tampa Bay area. Debbie Baigrie was walking by with a group of friends.
Ian was caught up in a group of older teens who weren’t good people; they wanted Ian to be with them and told them to mug Debbie and her friend. Confused and under the scary pressures of his neighborhood’s older men, Ian became part of the mugging.
Debbie was shot in the lower side of the face by Ian. Debbie survived the horrific incident. Ian was arrested later, and he fully confessed to everything.
Debbie Starts to Heal & Speaks Up
Debbie had to undergo 40 different dental surgeries; she slowly began to heal and get back to her life.
But she couldn’t stop thinking about the traumatizing incident that could’ve easily taken her life, and she couldn’t stop thinking about the little boy who did it.
During an interview with PEOPLE, Debbie talked about it:
“The days after the incident, I was obviously scared and in pain,”
“I kept on wondering, Who could have done this?”
When Debbie found out the boy was 13, she remarked:
“13?! There’s no way a 13-year-old kid shot me. He’s just a child.”
Ian Receives a Life Sentence
At the tender age of 14, Ian received a life sentence. None of the older teens involved were ever identified, and it was Ian who confessed without a second thought. Debbie wasn’t happy seeing the young boy being sent to an adult prison.
While talking to TODAY, she spoke about it:
“The judge said, ‘Mr. Manuel, we’re going to make an example of you,’”
“The sentenced him to an adult prison … To me, that was heartbreaking.”
Ian Calls Debbie from Prison to Apologize
After two years in prison, Ian couldn’t take the guilt of what he did to Debbie. He finally made a collect call to Debbie to apologize for his actions. Ian told TODAY about how it felt when he called Debbie from prison:
“As soon as she accepted the call I said, ‘Miss Baigrie, this is Ian. I’m just calling to tell you I’m sorry for shooting you, and I wish you and your family a merry Christmas,’”
“That’s what I blurted out. What do you say to somebody you shot, you know?”
Debbie talked to TODAY about how Ian’s call made her feel:
“I was shaken by it because it was still so fresh at the time,”
“But he called to apologize. I found it unusual and rare, especially from somebody that young.”
But Debbie wasn’t ready to forgive him just yet, she told PEOPLE:
“I didn’t consciously forgive him,”
“It was just over time, when I got through my trauma.”
A Friendship Starts to Blossom
Over time, Ian started sending letters to Debbie from prison. They were very well-written and emotional – showing just how intelligent and bright Ian was. Debbie spoke to TODAY about the letters:
“His letters were so articulate and he was so young. I don’t even know if he had started high school yet,”
“I thought, wow, this kid is smart,. Let’s not waste this life. Let’s give him a chance. He was smart, he was remorseful.”
Debbie started writing back to Ian, and the two started having conversations over their letter – becoming prison pen pals in the process. Debbie continued:
“Even though he was so young, he was thoughtful,”
“You could tell in his letters how thoughtful he was. They were so well written.”
Forgiveness
Debbie finally forgave Ian. She spoke about it with PEOPLE:
“He was so young. It was a mistake. It wasn’t hard to forgive him.”
Ian, taken over by his emotions, told PEOPLE:
“She became a mother to me. She helped me grow up.”
Debbie started guiding Ian; she told him to get a GED and work on himself and his future. She started supporting Ian like a mother.
Ian Gains Freedom & a Life-long Friendship
When Ian was 40, the Supreme Court ruled against giving life sentences to children who didn’t commit murder – Ian was finally free.
Ian was being sent to Alabama to join an EJI program that helps juveniles heal from their prison experiences. But before the move, he met Debbie near a gas station.
Ian told TODAY about how it felt:
“I got to do something that I had only dreamed about for so many years. I got to kiss her on the same exact spot that the bullet either went in or came out.”
Debbie’s memories of the day were also very emotional, she told TODAY:
“Ian and I got out of the cars and we hugged for two minutes,”
“It was like a long lost reunion. It was so nice.”
Debbie’s spoke to TODAY about forgiving Ian and supporting him:
“I figure if I didn’t help and support him, it would be a life lost. And my life wasn’t lost, and I felt like his punishment was way beyond what it should have been.”
“We all make mistakes, we all try our best, and life is so short. And if anybody knows how your life can be gone in one minute, it’s me. I understand that. We have to forgive, because it helps us heal.”
Ian and Debbie are friends to this day, teaching everyone a lesson about true forgiveness. Ian goes to college and still talks about the massive impact Debbie continues to have on his life.
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