Eric Menendes says wife Tammy helped him survive a “dangerous” prison

Eric Menedes credited wife Tami For helping him Survive difficult times in prison – including an attack behind bars.

“When I first came to prison, I was not only sentenced to prison. I was sentenced to prison to never see my brother again, never have hope for freedom, “Eric recalled 54 years on Thursday, February 20, Episode of The Podcast “2 angry men”S “I had to defend myself at a very violent level 4 – which is considered a maximum security prison – where I did not know anyone and I am 600 miles from every place I have ever really been to.”

Eric was “very alone and afraid” during his first years in prison, adding: “It was difficult for me. I was confronted with a lot of harassment and trauma. It was a dangerous environment. Fortunately, I had the love of a woman who came into my life and brought a little valuable daughter. “

Alleged incident is left with Eric to this day.

“I was chosen for violent violence and was traumatic and continuous. There is something that many prisoners go through when they are not part of the band’s structure. They come in and are actually a lonely wolf. They just have to be alone, “in detail. “The prison can be difficult and there is a lot of suffering here. So I was like, “I will not fight. I will not engage. I didn’t really turn to help, as I was separated from Lyle. “

Eric continued: “I remember the day I was told that Lyle had just been attacked and destroyed his jaw. … It was difficult, so it took years to cope because you have to be in prison. I believe that adjustments are doing everything they can. They really try. But 25 years ago, it was even a darker and more dangerous place. “

Despite the challenges he faced, Eric was grateful for the presence of Tammy In his life. “I began to experience paternity and growth and began to treat a lot of self -worship and self -dedicatedness with which I had dealt with my whole life,” he continued. “When I came to prison, I didn’t come to prison. I came to prison that dealt with the traumatic wounds of my past and the tragic crime that led to it. I had to face all those truths and travel through this dark place in prison. “

Eric and his brother, Lyle MenéndezThey were arrested in 1990 on two first-degree murder charges after their parents-hom and Kitty-Wait found dead at their home in August 1989. Two lawsuits led to Eric and Lyle, a 57-year-old, sentenced to Life without conditional release. Both claim that their mother and father were physically, emotionally and sexually violent.

Related: Who are the Menendes brothers, married while in prison?

Ted Soki/Sigma through Getty Images Eric Menedes and Lyle Menedes found partners as they served their individual life sentences after a high -profile murder case. The Menendes brothers were arrested in 1990 on two first-degree murder charges after their parents-housing and Kitty-were found shot dead to death at their home. Two (…)

“It was very, very difficult for me and there were many starts and stops. Honestly, it was very difficult. When I really started working on myself and realizing that I was not a disadvantage and that there was nothing in its essence that it was wrong with me, then the light began to open, “Eric continued on Thursday. “I started to love again. This is honest is what has given me hope. For people who are victims of severe childhood trauma, we live in the shadows and in this inner pain and in this silence, where we have suicide, self -awareness and self -deduction. “

While serving his sentence in prison, Eric I got married to Tammy62, in 1999, after she began writing letters to him. Eric also took the role of stepmother with Tammy’s daughter, who shares with her ex -husband.

“Much of my freedom came from the understanding that I am actually someone who is capable of being loved and that I deserve love,” Eric noted during an interview on Thursday. “I shoot to be a good person. I strive to be a better person every day and I want to be a person with whom my family can be proud of for sure. I want my daughter to be proud of me and my wife to be proud of me and my extended family so that we are proud of me and my brother that we are proud of me. “