Sammy Rangel

Sammy Rangel is the author of FOURBEARS: The Myths of Forgiveness, a breathtaking autobiography chronicling the ongoing physical and sexual abuse he endured as a child which eventually led him down a path of self-destruction that culminated in Sammy serving more than fifteen-and-a-half years of his life incarcerated, both as a juvenile and as an adult, most of that time in solitary confinement. FOURBEARS takes the reader on an in-depth journey into difficult topics such as the many stages of forgiveness, change, reconciliation, and recovery from substance abuse and the wounds that drive individuals to seek an escape.

Sammy also founded Formers Anonymous (FA) in August 2012. FA is a national self-help group based on the 12-step model and is for so-called criminals and addicts addicted to street life, violence, and who are looking for support and answers about change and recovery. Currently, Sammy is the Executive Director of Life After Hate, Inc (LAH), a unique 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded and run by former violent extremists. LAH's core services stem from the foundation of its members' reformed ideologies and decades of rare experiential immersion within some of the world's most violent extremist organizations. LAH works in the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) field, offers outreach, consulting, interventions, and support systems for individuals who have successfully disengaged from violent extremism, among other things.

Sammy's most crucial role in life is being an amazing father to his children. He is a beacon of light in the communities he works within and has received numerous awards and recognitions over the years for his dedication to serve the public as a whole and individuals in need of help. As someone once so aptly stated about Sammy, "The scary thing about Sammy is that despite all that he has accomplished...He's just getting started."