Anita Gage walked out of federal prison at Victorville today, Monday, Sept 28th, 2015 after serving over 24 years on a 30 year sentence! Amy Povah was able to talk to her and said, “Hearing Anita giggle was the best sound ever! She was with family, eating at a restaurant and said she was in “street clothes.”
CAN-DO Founder, Amy Povah personally knows Anita because her “room” was next to hers when they served time together at FCI Dublin. There were no bars at Dublin because it was originally a youth correctional facility for boys that still has the original wooden doors with a small window to peep through. “Anita is one of the nicest women I’ve ever met and I don’t mean just while in prison. Anita went to work at Unicor every day, (where inmates make furniture/products for gov’t agencies for .23 cents to $1.15 per hour) never complained, always treated everyone with respect, was liked by everyone, never got into trouble, was respectful and extremely humble. I had to reach out to Anita because she is never one to ask anyone for anything. So, I insisted that Anita let me put her on this list, even though she will be getting out in 2015 if she qualifies for a 1 year half-way house.”
Anita’s case is another situation where she introduced two people and was held responsible for their actions by way of association, but Anita does not want to focus on the details. After so many years, the details seem like a footnote in the past of someone she hardly remembers – herself, when she owned an Antique store and got involved with and trusted the wrong person. Anita will be an asset to society and anyone who may ever have the great fortune to know her.
From Anita:
It hurts too much to focus on the past, so I try not to think about the fact that I have lost my brother (1997) and father (1999) while I’ve been incarcerated. I have also lost relatives on my mother’s side, an aunt and uncle and another brother has been in a coma since 2003.
Since I have been incarcerated I have been focused on doing what I need to do so I can go home and be with my two children. Melody was 13 when I was sentenced – she is now 36 years old. Michael was 18 and is now 41 years old. Neither have children. There are so many things I want to do with them to make up for the years we’ve lost.