Now free from the Tennessee Prison for Women for exactly two weeks, sex trafficking survivor Cyntoia Brown is introspective and eternally grateful for being able to do the small things after 15 years in prison.
“I am loving every single thing about being in my own home,” the 31-year-old said according to NBC News, adding that something as innocuous as a manicure, was the manifestation of a dream come true.
“Being able to cook for myself and decide how I want to spend my day feels amazing. Those simple pleasures that people take for granted are what I looked forward to when I sat in prison dreaming of freedom,” Brown added.
Brown revealed her mindset as Atria/Simon & Schuster unveiled the cover of her memoir, Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System, and quickly acknowledged her marriage to Christian rapper and former Pretty Ricky member, Jamie Long, aka J. Long. On the book’s cover, she’s listed as Cyntoia Brown-Long.
Brown took pains to give thanks for the many people who aided her throughout her 15-year prison term after being convicted of murder in the killing 43-year-old real estate agent Johnny Mitchell Allen.
“One of the best moments was the night I celebrated my release with my whole family and everyone who’d made a difference in my life over the last 15 years,” she said, according to NBC News. “Looking around and seeing how everything had come together, and how everyone was happy, was just incredible.”
