A journey of forgiveness | Ellen Rutledge | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

From the perspective of a mother whose son was murdered in 2008, Ellen Rutledge speaks on the topic of her journey of forgiveness, which is the ultimate gift to herself. Ellen Rutledge began her second career in the clerical field at Ironwood State Prison after resigning from the Palo Verde Unified School District where she worked as a Paraprofessional in Special Education for nearly 30 years, beginning with the elementary grade levels and progressing to the high school senior level. Since the murder of her son, she has been compelled to speak out on topics that reflect her journey through the grieving and forgiveness process. She is actively involved with the planning of the Crime Victims’ Service conducted annually during the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week at Ironwood State Prison in conjunction with Chuckawalla State Prison.