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A Letter from Your Mentee, JAHmere Webb
To the Man Who Never Gave Up on Me
Coach Tony Dungy
My Mentor, My Guide
The Man Who Sees What I Could Be
Dear Coach,
I'm writing this letter with your signed copy of "Quiet Strength" next to me. The pages are worn now—I've read it so many times I could probably recite chapters. You wrote in the front: "JAHmere, your strength will come from serving others. Keep fighting the good fight." I've been trying, Coach. I've been trying.
When you first agreed to mentor me, I couldn't believe it. Tony Dungy—Super Bowl champion, Hall of Famer—taking time for someone like me. But you told me something I'll never forget: "JAHmere, God doesn't make mistakes. You're here for a purpose, and we're going to find it together."
Coach, I need to be honest with you:
Sitting in this cell, I feel like I've let you down. You invested your time, your wisdom, your faith in me. And here I am, locked up, feeling like I've fumbled on the one-yard line. But then I remember what you taught me: "It's not about the setback, it's about the comeback."
Every week when we talk, you remind me that I'm not my worst mistake. You've shared your own pain—losing James, facing criticism, dealing with doubt. You've shown me that strength isn't about being perfect; it's about being persistent.
You taught me that my pain could be someone else's prevention.
Remember when you told me about visiting prisons after James passed? How you saw young men who reminded you of him? You said, "JAHmere, I can't save my son, but maybe I can save someone else's." Coach, that's exactly what I want to do with The Bridge Project.
"You said, 'Sometimes God puts us in uncomfortable places to comfort others later.' Well, Coach, I'm in the most uncomfortable place of my life. But I'm ready to use it to comfort kids heading down this same path."
Remember all those conversations about creating a program for at-risk youth? About using my story to redirect others? The Bridge Project is that vision, Coach:
You've stood by me through so much already. When others saw a statistic, you saw a soul. When others saw a problem, you saw potential. Now I need you to help others see what you've always seen in me.
I'm not asking you to tell Judge Ferrero I'm perfect—we both know I'm not. I'm asking you to share what you've witnessed: my growth, my commitment to change, my genuine desire to serve youth. Tell her about our conversations, about the young men I already write to from in here, about the program we've designed together.
What Your Voice Means Now:
Page 127 of "Quiet Strength"—I have it memorized: "The secret to success is good leadership, and good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members or workers better." Coach, locked up, I can't make anyone's life better. But with The Bridge Project, I could lead kids away from this place.
You taught me that God's strength shows up most in our weakness. Well, I've never been weaker than I am right now. But I've also never been more ready to let God use my mess for His message.
"I don't have the strength or wisdom to get through a single day without guidance and grace from God."
- Tony Dungy
The quote you made me memorize our first meeting.
I say it every morning in here.
If Judge Ferrero gives me this chance:
You told me champions are built in the off-season.
Well, Coach, this cell has been my off-season. I've been training—reading, praying, planning, preparing. I've been building the mental and spiritual muscles I'll need to lift others. I'm ready for game time.
Your son Jordan wrote the most powerful letter about me. He sees what you've helped me understand—that my pain isn't pointless if it can prevent others' pain. He called me "society's pain signal," warning that the system is broken. Coach, with your support and Judge Ferrero's wisdom, we can fix it, one young life at a time.
Jordan said I'm the man who felt too much pain. But you've taught me that feeling pain means I can feel empathy, compassion, love. Those aren't weaknesses, Coach. With your guidance, they've become my strengths.
Coach, I'm asking you to:
Write to Judge Ferrero. Tell her about the JAHmere you know. The one who calls you every week from this cell. The one who's memorized your books. The one who writes to at-risk youth. The one who's designed The Bridge Project with your guidance. Tell her that alternative sentencing isn't avoiding accountability—it's maximizing impact.
"We need somebody to give us a chance."
You said that, Coach. You gave me a chance when no one else would. Now I need one more chance—not to avoid consequences, but to transform them into something that honors your investment in me.
You've spent three years teaching me that my past doesn't define my purpose. That my pain can be someone's gain. That quiet strength can move mountains. Coach, The Bridge Project is those mountains starting to move.
Will you help me prove that your faith in me was justified?
With deepest gratitude and unshakeable hope,
JAHmere Webb
Your mentee
Future Bridge Builder
Living proof that mentorship transforms lives
P.S. - I'm on chapter 12 of "Uncommon" now. The part about finding your calling in your deepest pain? Coach, I found it. The Bridge Project is my calling. Thank you for never letting me quit on myself. I promise I won't quit on the kids who need what you've given me—hope, guidance, and a second chance to get it right.
Tony Dungy has been mentoring JAHmere for three years. This letter is part of JAHmere's appeal to transform his sentence into service. When a champion believes in someone, transformation is possible.
"Part of our purpose in life is to build a legacy—
a consistent pattern of building into the lives of others."
- Tony Dungy