Thank you very much for this article. People make mistakes in life. Sometimes terrible, devastating mistakes. That being said, everyone deserves a second chance to rebuild and live the American dream. It really is too bad that we have so many highly qualified people who have developed themselves after their mistakes sitting at home, unemployed, because 99% of people turn their back on them because of their mistakes. Kudos to this gentleman and Summit for the success.

Awesome. What a journey this man has been on. It takes guts to look at your life and try to make a difference when the odds have been against you in so many ways. It's inspiring to see that he decided to take responsibility for his life and use his talents to help others. What a great story!

This is a great story -- thanks Mr. Tevlin for bringing it to reader's attention. I am proud of this fellow for trying to make something of himself, and making the decision to change his life through better choices. None of us can pick our family, and some of us start out at a real disadvantage in that regard. Were it not for the Summit program, this would likely be yet another person unemployed -- there are TONS of skilled tradespersons either not working, or working in unrelated fields, so I am grateful for the help that Summit provides. Who knows, maybe self-employment would be an option, but there still needs to be clients with money to spend in order to create a niche. Anyway, congratulations in coming this far and best wishes for your future.

This man obviously takes responsibility for his live, both past and present. In a society that many people want to place blame everywhere but on themselves, he's truly an inspiration and I wish him the very best. It would also be good for the politicians who, in order to hold on to their jobs, have made people disposable in the "tough on crime" stance, to see that people can and do change. Granted, some people will commit crimes until the day they die, but there are those who make a horrible mistake, learn from it and give back. Thankfully this man wasn't tossed away; he has a lot of give and he will do well.

If all of us were continually judged on the mistakes of our youth, no one would have a reason to strive to be better. We can't undo the past, but we can change ourselves. And one must remember to have compassion and empathy. One's social, family and economic status can make one vulnerable to making choices with more devastating consequences than someone with a more stable life. I'm happy that Mr. Lloyd has not given up striving for a better life, and I hope that he finds happiness and peace.