Road to a Miracle…a story of second chances

Those who knew him figured Jimmy Newton would never amount to much. In the first place, he was a mistake. His mother, Judy, got pregnant while a junior in high school. Few girls are ready for motherhood at that age, and she certainly wasn’t. His father showed his interest by abandoning her before his birth. Fortunately, Judy’s parents helped her through the ordeal. Grateful, but feeling the need for freedom, Judy moved when she could and took Jimmy with her. Attempting to make up for what she missed in school, Judy became loose and available. Jimmy met some of her friends at the breakfast table. Her “regulars” became his friends too.

Judy’s lifestyle during his formative years left Jimmy in the care of babysitters who had agendas of their own. They often parked him in front of the TV and entertained their boyfriends on the couch.

In school, Jimmy ran with a rough crowd, often knee-deep in trouble. Enter Lou Jackson. In many ways, Lou was a godsend for both mother and child. Lou, with a checkered past himself, mentored Jimmy and put him on a better track, not necessarily the right one. His questionable message to the young man was—if you’re going to be a crook, at least be smart about it. Utilizing some of the traits and lessons Lou taught him, Jimmy came up with some ideas of his own. Lou thought what he had in mind was a bit too complicated, even risky, but Jimmy was determined to proceed.

Along the way, Jimmy met Charley, who heard the idea and encouraged him to proceed with it. Jimmy discovered later that his idea would not have worked at all, if not for Charley. And Charley was not who he appeared to be.