Tuesday, May 22, 2007
SLEEP WELL, MR. TILLMAN
It's Monday night heading into Tuesday morning, and the one image that sticks with me at the end of the work day is the smile on James Tillman's face.
He wasn't smiling because Governor Rell signed legislation that gives him 5-million tax-free dollars. The man's been smiling in public since last summer...exonerated after DNA tests proved he didn't commit a rape that sent him away for 18 years.
5-million dollars. Nice. But can you put any kind of price tag on 18 years of your life?
James Tillman sat in prison during what would have been his most productive years; the years in which he might have married and had a family. Now, he's got a lot of money, his loyal mother, and a heart as big as any I can imagine.
Even as he came into his millions, he never talked about the money and what he might do with it. He talked about helping others, about playing an active role with the Innocence Project, which took on his case.
And all the time, he smiled that smile. That genuine, honest smile.
Something tells me James Tillman was already a rich man.
He wasn't smiling because Governor Rell signed legislation that gives him 5-million tax-free dollars. The man's been smiling in public since last summer...exonerated after DNA tests proved he didn't commit a rape that sent him away for 18 years.
5-million dollars. Nice. But can you put any kind of price tag on 18 years of your life?
James Tillman sat in prison during what would have been his most productive years; the years in which he might have married and had a family. Now, he's got a lot of money, his loyal mother, and a heart as big as any I can imagine.
Even as he came into his millions, he never talked about the money and what he might do with it. He talked about helping others, about playing an active role with the Innocence Project, which took on his case.
And all the time, he smiled that smile. That genuine, honest smile.
Something tells me James Tillman was already a rich man.
Posted at 1:03 AM by Gerry
1 Comments:
How great a post.....and I have the same exact feeing. Of course the money will help him and his family. And I'm sure of one thing...he will use some of that windfall to help other people. He just seems like that type of guy.
Thank you Gerry...it's nice to get a glimpse of a major station's anchor telling us his personal thoughts. It's almost like Curt Shilling's blog, except you speak of the real world and he talks baseball. I love Schill. His last 3 starts? Ouch! But Ger, a couple posts from you every week would be so tremendous. Peter, from Farmington. Just a fan, Red Sox AND Brooks. If you ever speak to Joanne, tel her we miss her...and Lisa....she's great..always has been.
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