SAN ANTONIO – After spending 23 years in prison, Don Christian is now part of the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success at San Antonio College, where he’s pursuing a degree to allow him to help other people get the second chance he once received.
“I know for a fact people can change, you know what I’m saying?” Christian said. “You’re looking at change right here.”
KSAT first met Christian in 2022 when he was featured him in a KSAT Explains story about Second Chance Hiring.
At 48, Christian got his first job working at the local Toyotetsu plant after he was released from prison.
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At the time, Christian told KSAT then that he was working toward three things: getting a house, making car payments and making his mother proud.
After his boss recently reached out detailing his recent success, KSAT went to visit Christian at his home.
His mother, Yvonne, was there, as well.
“It means a lot. It means (a) lot,” Christian said. “I mean, you know, ain’t nothing possible without God, but I had some help. I had a lot of people in my life that helped me out. (My) mom, for one.”
Three years ago, Christian told KSAT that his mother was his motivation to make the most of his second chance.
“She never doubted me,” Christian said. “She never disowned me. You know, she always looked at me, like, ‘You can do this.’”
As Yvonne sat next to her son during his follow-up interview with KSAT, she smiled the whole time.
“I am so proud of him, but I knew the grace of God is at the front of everything,” Yvonne said. “And, looking at what he has done through his life, I am so proud. I’m so proud, and I thank God for that.”
Christian has climbed the ranks in his career at Toyotetsu, but he hopes to one day trade that work for social work.
He is pursuing a degree in that field at SAC.
“I want to help guys that were like me. A lot of people don’t know that people be going through things, and they need people to talk to,” Christian said. “They need somebody who can give them an idea of what they (have) got going on, especially if somebody has been there.”
“So, now if I’m given that chance, I wanna make it possible for other people to get a chance, you know what I’m saying?” Christian continued.
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