Russell “Rusty” Trunzo paroled on Jan. 01, 2009 to his wife Diane and family. Rusty entered the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in 1978 during a turbulent time of life in CDCR. Despite the struggle, Rusty diligently pursued a multitude of self-help, therapeutic, academic and spiritual programs for over 30 years. Throughout this journey, he remained grateful for the positive opportunities and experiences that impacted his life and those around him. With Rusty there was a deep sense that he achieved self-discovery, healing, and reflection. It helped him transform into a man of compassion, kindness, growth and service.
Rusty has a B.S. degree in sociology, a California State Certification as a Brothers Keeper Counselor (Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention) and was a guiding spirit of Addiction Recovery Counseling (ARC) as well as a California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Counselors. He will continue to make a positive impact on his family, friends and community.
On New Years Eve, Rusty shared an emotional farewell with many men in North Block, sharing, “I feel so blessed. I made the very best of my time, I love all of you guys.”
Living behind bars since 1978, his parole parallels the science fiction story of H.G. Wells’ time machine. The world he returns to is going at a much faster pace. Some of the issues confronting him will be: high tech innovations, higher cost of living, better medicine, gains in science, a greater awareness of our environment, wider selections-choices, less tolerance; the list is staggering. As with all of us, there are many challenges that we face in this world. With no exception, Rusty will continue to turn lemons into lemonade.
Rusty loved his peers. He championed the cause of their misfortunes with eagerness and compassion, and always had time to lend a helping hand or to listen quietly. He showed us how to not give up, to persevere, and to continue the fight until victory is achieved. In the end it was Rusty’s own writ that won him his freedom. He did it so that the rest of us who remain incarcerated will have a beacon of hope. “Combined with the accomplishments you’ve worked for, some serious time spent in the law library and with the help of some of the legal beagles in the ‘Q,’ you can prevail,” said Rusty. He would undoubtedly followed those words with: Never give up, never look back, and work towards the greater good and you too will be so, so blessed. Rusty was last seen talking on a cell phone, wearing some pretty decent street clothing, and smiling ear to ear about having his first free meal of plain yogurt, old twigs and brown rice. God bless the little fellow!
