PeliPeople Archives - Page 4 of 4 - PeliPost

Pelipost is more than just an app for sending photos to your incarcerated loved ones. Pelipost has a story, much like your own. We are so excited to share our story with you in our new PeliPeople series! This is part one of Joe’s Story Outside Incarceration. (Read about Becky’s Story Inside Incarceration here)

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“I didn’t know what the hell to do. It wasn’t just my mom who’d be doing time, but me as well. We were officially in the system together. ”
-Joe Calderon

Growing up in San Diego in the 1980’s the Calderon family lived the picturesque American Dream. Happy marriage, good careers, new cars, and a beautiful home. In January of 1989, they joyfully welcomed their first child, Joseph into their lives. Sadly, the joys of parenthood became shattered a month after Joseph was born, Becky received a terminal cancer diagnosis. Doctors told her she would be lucky to live to see me turn 5.

Childhood Before Incarceration

Toddler Joe. Joe's Story Outside Incarceration — Toddler Joe & his parents. Joe’s Story Outside Incarceration

As my mom fought her way through surgeries, chemo, and intense radiation, she decided to devote what time she had remaining to provide me with the best childhood she could offer. It was full of fun, birthday parties, family vacations, playing sports, and lots of love.

Sadly, as the years passed, life’s struggles took a toll on my family. This included financial hardships, losing our home during the Great Recession, and the collapse of my parents’ 21-year marriage. On top of that, my mom’s legal troubles lead her to a battle with alcoholism as she tried to drink her circumstances away.

Mom Sentenced to Prison

In October 2010, our family endured the ultimate hardship. My mom (Becky) arrived to a San Diego courthouse for what she believed would be a sentencing of house arrest only to find out she wouldn’t be returning home. Her lawyer promised she would receive a lenient sentencing because she had never been in trouble before and she committed a “white-collared crime”. To our shock and surprise, the Judge sentenced her to 3 years in prison and ordered her immediately incarcerated. On the outside, I was in complete disbelief that my mom was really going to prison.

I was away at college and had little knowledge of the legal system. I wasn’t expecting my mom to end up in prison, especially before I could say goodbye, give her a big hug, and tell her it was going to be okay.

Families End Up In The Prison System Together

Joe and Becky during Visitation. Joe's Story Outside Incarceration — Joe and Becky during Visitation. Joe’s Story Outside Incarceration

My world instantly changed and I felt an ENORMOUS amount of pressure and stress. I didn’t know what the hell to do. It wasn’t just my mom who’d be doing time, but me as well. We were officially in the system together. I literally woke up one day with everything being “normal”and going to bed with my world completely in chaos.

Shortly after going into custody, they relocated my mom to California’s Central Women’s Facility in Chowchilla CA (8 hours away). Her cancer had returned while incarcerated and she required a facility with a full medical ward to continue her treatment. This was the beginning of one of the hardest challenges my mom and I would ever endure…

Want to read more about Joseph’s Story Outside Incarceration? Sign-up for the Pelipost email newsletter! You will first to be to notified once we release the next part of our story soon!

Don’t forget to send your incarcerated loved ones photos this holiday season! You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Pelipost is launching a new series devoted to the stories of those impacted inside and outside of incarceration called PeliPeople. In honor of this series launch we are sharing our own story first…

A message from our CEO: Joseph Calderon

If there is one truth I can share with you, it is this: there is redemption and success on the other side of doing time. Our story is proof. Pelipost was founded in 2015 by myself, Joe Calderon, and my mom, Becky. We truly believe our success wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for our personal experiences of one, having an incarcerated loved one; and two, BEING an incarcerated loved one. Most don’t know the story that led to the start of Pelipost and we believe now is the greatest time to share. So we will begin here with: Becky’s Story Inside Incarceration.

The Beginning of it All

“When you feel the weight of reality that each year may be your last… You fight for your life, as best as you can.”
– Becky Calderon

Imagine with me for a moment… You’re married and just gave birth to your first child. Life is good. Motherhood is magical. You have this beautiful little baby and you can’t help but dream of what life will look like with your family in 10, 20, 50 years even. THEN… your baby is one month old and you’re in the doctor’s office being given the heaviest news of your life. This is where my story begins, thankfully, this is not where my story ends.

Becky's Story Inside Incarceration. Becky with Joe, as a baby. — Becky and Baby Joe. Becky’s Story Inside Incarceration

In February of 1989, one month after my son’s (Joseph) birth, I received a terminal cancer diagnosis. All of my hopes of one day having a big family came to an end that day. Another pregnancy would end my life, so Joe was an instant only child. The doctors didn’t expect me to live past Joe’s kindergarten year. Am I now ever so grateful they were wrong. I spent the next 12 years going through 13 surgeries, radiation, chemo, fighting for my life. I did all of this while also juggling motherhood, marriage, and work. It was not an easy journey, but it was worth it.

When you feel the weight of reality that each year may be your last… You fight for your life, as best as you can. At least, in my case, I did. I decided that my son was going to remember me no matter what. It was my ultimate purpose to give him the best childhood any kid could ask for.

The Cancer Returns

The cancer came back during Joe’s middle school years. In my desperation to provide a more memorable experience for my family in my ‘last days’, I made some poor decisions. These choices would result in a shortcut to fund a higher quality of life. We started taking more vacations, buying gifts, trying to create as many happy memories as possible. It took about 5 years before my choices caught up to me.

By the time everything came out, Joseph was in his first year of college. Contrary to my doctor’s prognosis, I had lived way past his kindergarten graduation at this point, and the life I had funded in those earlier, memorable, years had finally caught up to me. We lost our home during the recession. My marriage had collapsed. The body I was given, wouldn’t stop failing me. Legal troubles were overflowing and I became an alcoholic. Thank God, Joe’s dad was the best dad in the world and remained Joe’s rock through it all.

Grave Before the Gavel

From charge to sentencing, the process took roughly three years. I just wanted to die, at that point. During those three long years, life was an intoxicated blur. In my mind, I thought I kept it all hidden and concealed from Joe, but he was too smart for that. Even still, he never turned his back on me. He couldn’t comprehend the powerless battle I was fighting with cancer, coupled with the disease of alcoholism. However, he never stopped encouraging me to fight with all I had. He knew I loved him more than life but I was losing the perseverance to stay in the game.

I kept putting off my court dates and delaying the inevitable. In reality, I was expecting to meet the grave before meeting the judge’s gavel. For some reason, my life kept ticking. What Joe and I didn’t realize, at the time, was how prison would completely save my life, instead of helping to end it…

Becky's Story Inside InCarceration-
Becky and Joe at his High School Graduation. — Becky and Joe at his high school graduation. Becky’s story Inside Incarceration

Want to read more about Becky’s Story Inside Incarceration? Sign-up for the Pelipost email newsletter! You will first to be to notified once we release the next part of our story soon!