Ahmad’s Story
Ahmad was a disciplined athlete. When he was 6 years old, he picked up tennis at Sportsmen’s Tennis Center in Dorchester, a then-free after-school program. He went on to compete nationally under the direction of Longfellow Tennis Club in Wayland. Ahmad ranked 26th in the nation in the juniors 14 year olds and under category in 2003; and ranked #2 in New England in the same category. He also held a #3 ranking in the 12 and under category in New England. Ahmad played the #1 position for Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N) varsity tennis team during his junior year of high school, when the team went on to win the Independent School League (ISL) championship.
After completing his junior year of high school, in 2006 at the age of 17, Ahmad turned himself into the police and was later convicted of second-degree murder as a joint venturer. He received a mandatory life sentence under Massachusetts law with the possibility of parole in 2021. While in prison, Ahmad obtained his GED and then tutored other students who were going through the same process. He also became fluent in Spanish and taught himself French and Portuguese. He is currently working towards his college degree by taking correspondence courses. He is a voracious reader of world cultures, American history, international politics and business; and he has taken part in reading groups while in prison. He is also a faithful reader of the Economist, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Ahmad is an uncle, a son, a grandson, brother and friend to many who love and support him.
