Chapter 7
Thousands of feet up in the air, Wes Moore waits for the signal in which he’ll have to jump from the C-130 military aircraft. It had been a year since he decided to pursue a military carrier. As the end of his High school years came, he’d gotten many scholarships and a taste of the perks of being in college, but nothing had felt real.
Just like military life was enjoyable, so was reading. He continued to read and eventually found My American Journey, a story he could relate in many ways. Now, three minutes before launching himself off the plane, Wes Moore couldn't help but pride himself in the decision to lead young soldiers in their life. In three minutes, Wes would be a certified paratrooper and become the youngest regimental commander for the 70th Corps of Cadets. One minute left, and Wes went over all his training. His nerves were getting the best of him, but before he knew it he was airborne. Launching himself off the plane, he opened the parachute; he was a certified paratrooper.
~~
Wes Moore’s third and fourth children’s mother had gotten addicted to the drugs and had no way out. The same people Wes sold drugs to everyday, the same people Wes felt disgust over, and his wife was one of them. He had come to a breaking point.
Wes Moore was tired, tired of the drug game tired watching as the drugs he sold destroyed families; he was just tired. He had heard about Job Corps before, a place where disadvantaged youth would go and take an initiative. His aunt had gone but left before she could finish, and now with his friend Levy going there Wes made the decision to join him.
As the days went by at Job Corps, Wes noticed he enjoyed his stay. He had received his GED within a month and helped others with the task. He’d started working in his professional course as a carpenter, and for his project, he ended up building his daughter her own miniature house.
After seven months, Wes graduated from Job Corps returning home and taking landscaping jobs. As the day went by, Wes started to notice how little money he was making. It wasn't enough.
Taking a detour through west Baltimore, he watched as the drug game passed. Kids showing off their money, people getting high - he was amazed at how little it had changed. The pressure was getting to Wes and he could finally see the cracks showing. Alicia complained about not having enough money for the kids, and Cheryl wanted to spend time with the kids - meaning she wanted money. His mother also needed the money after raising his and Tony’s kids. Wes was stuck, he opened a drawer, taking a bag of cocaine. He was back in the drug game.
Chapter 8
Mary was in shock. When she heard the news of a police officer being murder after pursuing four masked men who had stolen from a jewelry shop, she didn't know how much this news would change her.
The first major lead on the case was a day after the shooting, when a drug dealer offered someone some watches. After getting a search warrant and finding one of the stolen watches, the man confessed on being in in the robbery but denied having pulled the trigger. Through the interrogations the police were able to identified the other three men. And a day later a member of the crew was captured. He confessed on being at the scene but denied pulling the trigger. The other two men were missing but had been identified, and when Mary saw the faces of Wes and Tony reflected on the screen her heart broke.
It only took a few days before police barged into her house demanding the whereabouts of Wes and Tony. After leaving the house in shambles they departed with the promise of finding Wes and Tony and finally bringing them to justice.
Two days after, Mary’s niece, Nicey’s daughter was getting married. The celebration helped lift the family’s spirit yet, once the wedding ended eight members of the Moore family were escorted out of their cars while driving towards the reception hall. Three police men searched the car and interrogated the family, reminding them of the reward. After finding nothing the police left but not after arresting a member of the party for not having the proper registration for the rental car.
Meanwhile in North Philadelphia Wes and Tony hid out in their uncle’s house. After passing police cruisers on the way to their uncle’s house, and not being stopped Wes relaxed. A few minutes after reaching the house Tony left, when Wes didn’t hear the door close he climbed down only to be met with a disturbing scene.
On the floor laid Tony handcuffed, while police officers stood next to him. A task force of over two dozen officers of Baltimore city and Country police swarmed the building arresting the two brothers and finally bringing them into custody. Word spread quickly over Baltimore and people cheered yet Mary couldn't help but sob over her sons’ grim future.
A year had passed since the crime and Wes sat on a chair waiting for his verdict. Tony and the other two were found guilty with Tony being the shooter; they had been sentence to life in prison without parole. Tony had also avoided a possible life sentence by pleading guilty. Out of the four people only Wes had claimed innocence, and insisted he had not been there the day of the murder. Evidence had been presented and witnesses had been called, yet there was no clear evidence to claim Wes innocent. After many agonizing moments the verdict came. Wes would be claimed guilty; he would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
~~~~
Wes Moore was (once again) in the Mayor’s office. When he had returned to Baltimore two years ago he’d been accepted at Johns Hopkins University to complete his degree.
After a recommendation from a friend at Valley Forge he’d met up with Paul White. A booming man who shown Wes how much he could accomplish at Hopkins. After the talk Wes had realized what a good chance it was, not only for educational purposes but for him to reunite with his family. Since he’d been sent to military school Wes’ relationship with his mother had changed. Wes had spent his whole life time trying to show his mother that he didn't need her help, while she desperately tried to be a caring and disciplined mother. And as the years went by, and her motherhood years came to an end she finally became a friend.
Wes still knew it would be difficult to get into Hopkins, but by some miracle he’d been accepted and had received scholarship money. The revelation of being helped out made Wes notice how many kids lived their whole life thinking they’d never get any help nor amount to anything. And thanks to that help Wes now stood in the Mayor’s office talking about the Rhodes Scholar.
The Mayor gave Wes a speech reminding him what an impact he could make to the community, after the meeting ended Wes was left to collect his thought on the issue.
Once Wes ended his internship he would be heading to South Africa for a semester aboard. On January Wes was greeted in Africa by his new family living in Langa. While spending his time in Africa Wes was able to learn about their cultures and even learned a bit of the language. He was able to see the struggling these families experienced and the hardships these boys were faced with. Yet the one thing Wes couldn't help but be amazed by was by the differences and similarities this place had with his home. Boys struggled with their life while parents struggled to maintain their families well.
Thousands of feet up in the air, Wes Moore waits for the signal in which he’ll have to jump from the C-130 military aircraft. It had been a year since he decided to pursue a military carrier. As the end of his High school years came, he’d gotten many scholarships and a taste of the perks of being in college, but nothing had felt real.
Just like military life was enjoyable, so was reading. He continued to read and eventually found My American Journey, a story he could relate in many ways. Now, three minutes before launching himself off the plane, Wes Moore couldn't help but pride himself in the decision to lead young soldiers in their life. In three minutes, Wes would be a certified paratrooper and become the youngest regimental commander for the 70th Corps of Cadets. One minute left, and Wes went over all his training. His nerves were getting the best of him, but before he knew it he was airborne. Launching himself off the plane, he opened the parachute; he was a certified paratrooper.
~~
Wes Moore’s third and fourth children’s mother had gotten addicted to the drugs and had no way out. The same people Wes sold drugs to everyday, the same people Wes felt disgust over, and his wife was one of them. He had come to a breaking point.
Wes Moore was tired, tired of the drug game tired watching as the drugs he sold destroyed families; he was just tired. He had heard about Job Corps before, a place where disadvantaged youth would go and take an initiative. His aunt had gone but left before she could finish, and now with his friend Levy going there Wes made the decision to join him.
As the days went by at Job Corps, Wes noticed he enjoyed his stay. He had received his GED within a month and helped others with the task. He’d started working in his professional course as a carpenter, and for his project, he ended up building his daughter her own miniature house.
After seven months, Wes graduated from Job Corps returning home and taking landscaping jobs. As the day went by, Wes started to notice how little money he was making. It wasn't enough.
Taking a detour through west Baltimore, he watched as the drug game passed. Kids showing off their money, people getting high - he was amazed at how little it had changed. The pressure was getting to Wes and he could finally see the cracks showing. Alicia complained about not having enough money for the kids, and Cheryl wanted to spend time with the kids - meaning she wanted money. His mother also needed the money after raising his and Tony’s kids. Wes was stuck, he opened a drawer, taking a bag of cocaine. He was back in the drug game.
Chapter 8
Mary was in shock. When she heard the news of a police officer being murder after pursuing four masked men who had stolen from a jewelry shop, she didn't know how much this news would change her.
The first major lead on the case was a day after the shooting, when a drug dealer offered someone some watches. After getting a search warrant and finding one of the stolen watches, the man confessed on being in in the robbery but denied having pulled the trigger. Through the interrogations the police were able to identified the other three men. And a day later a member of the crew was captured. He confessed on being at the scene but denied pulling the trigger. The other two men were missing but had been identified, and when Mary saw the faces of Wes and Tony reflected on the screen her heart broke.
It only took a few days before police barged into her house demanding the whereabouts of Wes and Tony. After leaving the house in shambles they departed with the promise of finding Wes and Tony and finally bringing them to justice.
Two days after, Mary’s niece, Nicey’s daughter was getting married. The celebration helped lift the family’s spirit yet, once the wedding ended eight members of the Moore family were escorted out of their cars while driving towards the reception hall. Three police men searched the car and interrogated the family, reminding them of the reward. After finding nothing the police left but not after arresting a member of the party for not having the proper registration for the rental car.
Meanwhile in North Philadelphia Wes and Tony hid out in their uncle’s house. After passing police cruisers on the way to their uncle’s house, and not being stopped Wes relaxed. A few minutes after reaching the house Tony left, when Wes didn’t hear the door close he climbed down only to be met with a disturbing scene.
On the floor laid Tony handcuffed, while police officers stood next to him. A task force of over two dozen officers of Baltimore city and Country police swarmed the building arresting the two brothers and finally bringing them into custody. Word spread quickly over Baltimore and people cheered yet Mary couldn't help but sob over her sons’ grim future.
A year had passed since the crime and Wes sat on a chair waiting for his verdict. Tony and the other two were found guilty with Tony being the shooter; they had been sentence to life in prison without parole. Tony had also avoided a possible life sentence by pleading guilty. Out of the four people only Wes had claimed innocence, and insisted he had not been there the day of the murder. Evidence had been presented and witnesses had been called, yet there was no clear evidence to claim Wes innocent. After many agonizing moments the verdict came. Wes would be claimed guilty; he would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
~~~~
Wes Moore was (once again) in the Mayor’s office. When he had returned to Baltimore two years ago he’d been accepted at Johns Hopkins University to complete his degree.
After a recommendation from a friend at Valley Forge he’d met up with Paul White. A booming man who shown Wes how much he could accomplish at Hopkins. After the talk Wes had realized what a good chance it was, not only for educational purposes but for him to reunite with his family. Since he’d been sent to military school Wes’ relationship with his mother had changed. Wes had spent his whole life time trying to show his mother that he didn't need her help, while she desperately tried to be a caring and disciplined mother. And as the years went by, and her motherhood years came to an end she finally became a friend.
Wes still knew it would be difficult to get into Hopkins, but by some miracle he’d been accepted and had received scholarship money. The revelation of being helped out made Wes notice how many kids lived their whole life thinking they’d never get any help nor amount to anything. And thanks to that help Wes now stood in the Mayor’s office talking about the Rhodes Scholar.
The Mayor gave Wes a speech reminding him what an impact he could make to the community, after the meeting ended Wes was left to collect his thought on the issue.
Once Wes ended his internship he would be heading to South Africa for a semester aboard. On January Wes was greeted in Africa by his new family living in Langa. While spending his time in Africa Wes was able to learn about their cultures and even learned a bit of the language. He was able to see the struggling these families experienced and the hardships these boys were faced with. Yet the one thing Wes couldn't help but be amazed by was by the differences and similarities this place had with his home. Boys struggled with their life while parents struggled to maintain their families well.
- Written by Maria Napal