One of the hardest parts of being a judge is whether or not to send someone in the prison cell for a long time or give them an opportunity to have a second chance at life.

Second chances are rarely given, so when Ed Martell luckily received one, he knew he had to do the right thing this time.

Martell was recently sworn in as a lawyer this month, which is undoubtedly a significant accomplishment for anyone. But this achievement wasn’t as easy as it looks, especially because of his dark past.

Sixteen years ago, at the age of 27, Martell was in a much different situation. As he stood in front of Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Morrow, he expected multiple years behind bars.

Instead, the judge didn’t hand him the sentence he expected. In addition to three years probation, he challenged Martell to change his life for the better and that inspiration brought him back to the same place under much better circumstances.

No one would have expected that the former drug dealer would become the one who serves the law. But he did, and it’s all thanks to the man who inspired him to turn his life around.

“I fell victim to my environment, I guess I could say, and then it became a trend,” he said. “I started hanging around with the wrong crowd, I got intertwined with the drug culture.”

Martell also added:

“He challenged me, and he said, ‘Mr. Martell, I dare you to be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, instead of out here selling drugs,” Martell explained.

Judge Morrow didn’t shut the door for Martell, instead, he pushed him to learn from his mistakes and move forward. Martell took that challenge to heart and now he’s a lawyer.

“I knew what I wanted to be, but when you come from a place where I came from, I didn’t grow up knowing any attorneys,” he said.

“I was certain my way it took a miracle, God sent that miracle in the form of a judge behind a bench of all places,” he added.

“He’s like so many of the other people that come in front of us. They are talented, they’re brilliant, they have abilities and skills that, if you were not looking to make people’s lives better and connect with them, you were only going to see the person and the offense that they’re charged with,” Morrow said.

The kind-hearted judge even mentioned that mentored several others before Ed—people who had also come before him in the courtroom. To him, loving everyone is a responsibility.

“I tell them you were sent to me – this isn’t random, you’re not in a place by coincidence, you’re here for a purpose.”

If it wasn’t for the good judge, Martell wouldn’t have found his purpose and see his potential.

“It doesn’t matter what your past was, it doesn’t even matter what your present situation is, I would say just shoot for the stars.”

Always remember that your past mistakes shouldn’t define who you are. Everyone has their own potential, and Martell’s story has proven that.

Watch Attorney Ed Martell’s story on the video below.

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Source: YouTube – @FOX 2 Detroit