He grew up in Alphabet City without stability, structure, or safety raised by grandparents after being abandoned, surviving the streets before he even understood what danger was. By 15, the streets pulled him all the way in. By 16, he was sitting in a county jail cell. And by adulthood, Coach Jay was staring down a 24-year prison sentence that would change everything.

While serving time, he suffered one of the deepest losses anyone can face the passing of his young daughter to leukemia. That moment shattered him, but it also awakened something inside him. From that pain came purpose.

Inside prison, Coach Jay became a boxing coach, HIV/AIDS counselor, facilitator, mentor, and leader, helping build the only active boxing program in the NYS correctional system while earning his GED, counseling certifications, and guiding men toward transformation.

Once released, he dedicated his life to healing and rebuilding his community. Today, Coach Jay is a USA Certified Boxing Coach at El Maestro Boxing Club, a youth mentor, a counselor, and a living testament that transformation is real and possible even in the darkest places.

From freestyle skating and breakdancing with the NYC Breakers, to running his own boxing program, to saving lives inside and outside prison, Coach Jay’s story is about redemption, pain turned into power, and a man who refuses to let the past define the future.This episode is raw, inspiring, and proof that discipline, love, and purpose can rebuild a broken life.

Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades
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