‘I turned to the other women in my prison – and something switched’: Janice Nix. Photograph: Pål Hansen/The Observer Life and style Life on the other side: meet five people who’ve had an extreme change of heart Janice was a drug dealer who now works with ex-prisoners, Christian used to be a neo-Nazi and now helps former extremists… Five people who have radically changed their lives reveal what made them switch

‘The other women in my prison had real problems. I listened’: Janice Nix, 62, London

‘I was shown compassion by the people I thought I hated’: Christian Picciolini, 47, Chicago

I was terrified. I knew someone would recognise me. I used to be a Nazi; I’d been kicked out of there twice. Within minutes on my first day I’d run into the black security guard who for years I had terrorised and assaulted. He didn’t recognise me, but I just had this urge to make things right. In the parking lot I tapped him on the shoulder and apologised. He realised who I was and stepped back, afraid. And then he shook my hand and he listened. Through tears, I told him of my shame. He forgave me. He told me I had a story that I needed to tell and made me promise that I’d repair the damage. Right then I knew I needed to denounce what I’d done, learn how it happened and make amends for the pain and the suffering.

‘I had nothing. In one night, I gambled and lost $120,000 at the casino’: Richard Marcus, 64, Lima

‘I’d go on TV and show people how I could break into their home’: Michael Fraser, 59, Isle of Wight

‘My fears are identical to the fears of a young mother in Gaza’: Yael Lotan, 37, Tel Aviv

Walking down Hebron’s main street – a Palestinian city segregated by Israeli forces – I saw an old woman clambering along a roof to get to her house. Suddenly I remembered the old man from that CCTV screen. It hit me. These weren’t threats, these were people. They always had been, I just couldn’t see. In 2011, I got involved in activism and today I’m Breaking the Silence’s deputy director. I spearhead many of our public campaigns that help shed light on the reality too many people choose to ignore. As an organisation of former soldiers we see ourselves as a platform for those who choose to speak out and better our society, to help imagine a brighter future. This is my way to take responsibility for my actions, and to bring an end to the occupation.

Source: The Guardian

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