The first story that grabbed my attention was entitled ‘I Just Hugged the Man Who Murdered my Son,’ and was told by Mary Johnson and Oshea Israel, and recorded in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The recording was about how Mary Johnson’s teenage son was shot and killed in 1993, by gang member Oshea Israel. Johnson had animosity towards Israel during the trial that sent Israel away, but, after visiting him twelve years later on at prison, her feelings changed. The two talked about her son, and he comforted and supported her. She forgave him – although he still has difficulties forgiving himself – and their lives have been intertwined ever since.
I was first drawn to this story, because I had heard of this situation somewhere before, in some magazine, or newspaper article. Reading the words on paper, however, is vastly different from hearing the two people in question actually talk about what occurred. I found their story to be very interesting because of the unusual nature of it. You wouldn’t normally expect a woman to forgive her son’s murderer, and even form a friendship with him, but that’s exactly what happened. The story goes on to say that Mary is essentially is living vicariously as a mother to Oshea – the things that she was unable to do and experience with her own son, she now hopes to do with Israel. She speaks of her wishes to watch him graduate, marry, and live his life, and also explains how the two are neighbors, and see each other on a daily basis.
Johnson and Israel’s situation struck me as extremely odd, and that’s what made it a good story. There’s no real interview in the recording, as there is in some, but rather a conversation between the two. This makes the story seem very natural and real, rather than forced or fake. This led to a convincing and enthralling story, that had a format and feel to it that could serve as an example for future interviews that may take place.
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