My Testimony
by David Berkowitz
Personal Message from David Berkowitz
I am not sharing this message simply to tell you an interesting story. Rather I want
you to taste the goodness of God in the life of a man who was once a Satan-
worshiper and a murderer, to show you that Jesus Christ can bring about
forgiveness, hope, and change.
I was involved in the occult and I got burned. I became a cruel killer and threw
away my life as well as destroying the lives of others. Now I have discovered that
Christ is my answer and my hope. He broke the chains of sin, self-will, and
depression that had me bound. He has turned me from a path leading to eternal
damnation in the lake of fire to the blessed assurance of eternal life in heaven.
God has miraculously transformed "Son of Sam" into "Son of Hope." He wants to
perform the same kind of transformation in your heart and life today!
Here’s David Berkowitz’s story:
May God bless everyone who is reading this message. My name is David Berkowitz and I am a prison inmate
who has been incarcerated for more than 22 years. I have been sentenced to prison for the rest of my life. I was
the notorious murderer known as "Son of Sam."
It was 11 years ago, when I was living in a cold and lonely prison cell, that God got hold of my life. Here is my
story of hope.
Childhood
Ever since I was a small child my life seemed to be out of control. I was like a wild and destructive animal. My
mother had no control over me. My father had to pin me to the floor until I calmed down. When I was in public
school, I was so violent and disruptive that a teacher had to grab me in a headlock and throw me out of his
classroom. I got into a lot of fights. Sometimes I started screaming for no reason. I was plagued with bouts of
severe depression. Eventually my parents were ordered by the school officials to take me to a child psychologist,
or else I would be expelled. I had to go to the psychologist once a week for two years, yet the therapy sessions had
no effect on my behavior.
Thoughts of Suicide
Thoughts of suicide often came into my mind. Sometimes I spent time sitting on a window ledge with my legs
dangling over the side. We lived on the 6th floor of an old apartment building. When my dad saw me doing this he
would yell at me to get back inside. I had no idea what to do and neither did my parents. They had me talk to a
Rabbi, teachers, and school counselors, but nothing worked.
The Death of My Mother
When I was 14, my mother was stricken with cancer. Within several months she was dead. I had no other brothers
or sisters, so it was just my dad and me. He had to work 10 hours a day, six days a week. We spent very little time
together.
For the most part, my mother had been my source of stability. With her now gone, however, my life quickly went
downhill. I was filled with anger at the loss of my mom. I felt hopeless, and my periods of depression were more
intense than ever. I also became even more rebellious and began to cut out of school.
My dad tried to help as best he could. He managed to push me through high school. The day after I graduated, I
went into the Army. Even in the service I had trouble coping, though I did manage to finish my three-year
enlistment.
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