There aren’t too many positive stories out there when it comes to parents who are incarcerated. We think about the poor kids they left behind, the families they left in the lurch, and also the people who are left hurting because of the crimes they committed in the first place.
That said, the stated goal of the prison system in the United States is to rehabilitate offenders and help them reintegrate into society once their debt has been paid.
So, we should be thrilled to see father Bill Lorance reunite with his daughter Justine after 22 years behind bars – and many people are.
One of the first things he did after getting to spend a few days with his family is join her in one of her passions, which is dance.
The two earned over 45 million views on TikTok, and no, not all of the comments are positive – something Tuckett anticipated.
“My Dad put in the work everyday, he is unrecognizable from the person he used to be before prison. Some resilient people CAN be reformed. Some people DESERVE to re-enter society again. Some WILL embrace their children, grandchildren, and family once again. Someone like my Dad.”
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Other people, though, look to Lorance and Tuckett for inspiration about their own situations. Seeing them dance together makes them hopeful that they could have that with their own incarcerated loved ones some day.
It was those people who inspired the pair to do a series of Instagram Live posts where they spoke about his crime (he murdered his stepfather) and his history with addiction and mental illness. They also talk about ways you can maintain a good and close relationship with loved ones while they’re incarcerated.
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Lorance figures he can handle the mean talk, especially if it means reaching other people in his situation.
Of all the daddy-daughter TikTok dances I’ve seen, this one might be my favorite – there’s just something hopeful about it, and that might be what we need right now more than anything else.