August 17th 2024.
Mark's life took a drastic turn thanks to a program that had a profound impact on him. For most of his life, Mark was known as "Murder" to those who knew him in prison. He revealed that the origin of his nickname was a complicated story, but it eventually evolved into "Murdock" during his numerous stints behind bars. No matter what name he went by, Mark was a familiar figure in jail, unable to stay out for more than six months before getting into trouble again.
But all of that changed when he joined a "life-changing" program at a Washington DC jail. Now, after four years, Mark has been living at home with his family and has not reoffended. However, his past crimes had a devastating effect on his daughter Santana. At the young age of 10, she was tired of constantly seeing herself cry whenever her father was put back in prison. Frustrated and hurt by her father's actions, she made a vow to never shed a single tear again if he continued to reoffend. This emotional moment was captured in the Netflix documentary Daughters.
When asked what she would say to her father if she could, Santana's words were harsh. She declared that she would not shed a single tear the next time he got out of jail and then went back in. She was done crying over his bad choices and their impact on her. Sitting in a car with the rain pounding on the windows, Santana also revealed how her father's absence had affected her future plans. She had no desire to become a mother and was adamant that she would never have children. Even if someone offered her a million dollars, she would still not change her mind. She also shared that she would only get married at the age of 35 and have children at 45.
Mark became a father to Santana when he was only 16, but his time in prison meant that he missed out on many important moments in her life. Due to changes in the US prison system in 2014, in-person visits, known as touch visits, were limited. Instead, families could only communicate with their incarcerated loved ones through video calls, for a fee. This is where Girls For A Change, a non-profit organization, stepped in with their Date With Dad program. This unique and radical program allowed prisoners to participate in a 10-week course with a fatherhood coach and then have an in-person dance with their daughters as a reward.
Santana was one of the daughters who got to dance with her father as part of the program. After their dance, Mark made a promise to her that he would never leave her again. He asked her if she wanted him to be a part of her life forever, and this was the moment where he realized that the best way to do that was to stay on the right path. Mark is not the only father whose life changed thanks to this program. In the 12 years since its inception, 95% of the participating fathers have not reoffended.
For Mark, his fresh start began after his dance with Santana and his subsequent release from prison. It has been four years since he was last incarcerated, and he has not reoffended. This is a personal record for him. He recalls how the father-daughter dance was a unique and special experience for him. For six hours, he was not in prison, and his mind was solely focused on his daughter. When it was time for him to leave, he was confused because he wanted to go home with her. This dance was a turning point for him, and he has not been arrested since. Mark says that it was a life-changing experience for him.
Santana is no longer crying, and she is proud of her father's progress. She says that he has done well and kept his promise. The Netflix documentary Daughters ended on a heartwarming note, with Mark celebrating Santana's 13th birthday with a cake and a meal at a buffet restaurant. These are normal family activities that Mark never used to take for granted. Thanks to the father-daughter dance, he has a new perspective on life and has been able to break the cycle of reoffending. Daughters is now available to stream on Netflix. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, you can get in touch with the entertainment team at The Agency by emailing us or visiting the Submit Stuff page – we would love to hear from you.
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