A man once found guilty of murdering another man is helping people in Saskatoon turn their lives around.
Andrew Bear was convicted of second-degree murder in 1982. He spent 15 years behind bars at Saskatchewan Penitentiary.
“When I was young, I was abused by my mom. At three years old my hand was burnt and my head was burnt. I ended up as a homeless person right across Canada,” Bear told CTV News.
“It got to the place where violence was a natural thing in my life.”
Bear said when he was behind bars he aspired to help people when he was released.
“I wanted to be a mentor to people when I did get out. I got out in 1996 and I got into the field of social work as soon as I got out,” Bear said.
Bear now has a degree in social work and ministry. He is an ordained minister and a Johnny Cash impersonator.
On Tuesday afternoon he hosted a workshop to help people end violence in their lives. Bear spoke to a group of about 50 people from First Nations across the province.
“If we can’t share our feelings, it starts to affect us inside,” Bear told the crowd.
Bear plans to continue sharing his story across Canada. His next stops are in Ontario.
