Tuesday, March 14, 2006 — Clyde “Bo” Pickler, Jr. - jailed father of “American Idol” contestant and Stanly County native Kellie Pickler - is proud of his daughter and all she has overcome in life.
Pickler, 41, writing from his Florida prison cell where he is incarerated for felony battery and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer/firefighter /EMT, thanks all the residents of Stanly County for their support of his daughter during her run for the title of American Idol 2006.
“Kellie has really touched my life with all she has overcome,” he wrote. “I can take no credit for anything she has accomplished in her 19 years of life. I’m only regretting the fact that I’m not there to support her in person.
“However, despite what some people may think, Kellie and I are very close.
“No, I’ve not been the father (by far) that I should have been. But, our love for each other is what it is. I’m her daddy and she’s my little girl, just like anyone else.”
Admitting that his life has been full of bad choices, the elder Pickler - who is serving a 45-month sentence and slated for release May 12 - said there’s one major difference in Kellie and him.
“She learned from my mistakes and I didn’t.”
As for Bo’s changing his own life, he points to Jan. 15, 2003 as the day he accepted Jesus Christ as his saviour and the day change in his life began.
“Since then, a lot has happened. I’ve studied God’s word and allowed Him to have rule in my heart. Today, I am working for the chaplain here at Florida State Penitentiary,” he wrote. “I’m learning to listen to what God has planned in my life, instead of going my own way.
“The point I’m trying to get to is this. ‘I am soon to be released and I’m planing to come back to Albemarle, find a church that preaches the gospel and not an itching ear message, and to make amends to those I’ve hurt over the years. I’m praying they will accept me.’”
While he realizes skeptics abound, he only asks people give him a chance.
“As (the SNAP’s) B.J. Drye said, ‘don’t judge someone unless you’ve walked in his/her shoes.’ It’s a living hell to look at yourself in the mirror and hate what you see,” he wrote in an exclusive letter to the SNAP.
“I’ve done this for 25 years, but today, I can look and say, ‘God has blessed you with another day and wonderful children who I’m looking forward to coming home to in the near future.’”
And when he gets home, he has a new plan for his life.
“I’m looking forward getting involved as a productive member of Stanly County instead of a menace,” he said. “I hope that I can reach out to others who have walked or are walking in the shoes I’ve been. I want to tell them that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (our over-comer.)
“Again, I want to thank the SNAP and Stanly County for all their support for Kellie. Please pray for me to continue to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in everything. You are all in my prayers.
“God bless Stanly County.”
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