ReEntry Stories

DeCarlo Smith reflects on turning his life around

By Heidi Arnold,

Published November 3, 2026 at 10:07 AM EST

Ways To Subscribe

Spotify

picture of two men smiling — Frank Hagan, left, and DeCarlo Smith

After being incarcerated four times, DeCarlo Smith decided to change his life. In this episode of ReEntry Stories, Smith reflects on the family members who never gave up on him and the job at FC Industries, a Dayton-based manufacturing company, that helped him build a new future. His supervisor, Frank Hagan, shares how Smith has grown over the past seven years and why he sees him as more than his past.

ReEntry Stories

Heidi Arnold

Heidi Arnold is a Professor of Communication with more than 30 years of experience in teaching. She has taught inside several of Ohio’s prisons and finds purpose in supporting people as they transition from incarceration back into their communities. Born in Southeast Ohio, Arnold’s roots are tied to her father’s bicycle shop and her grandparents’ garden and garage. Beyond her passion for writing, she enjoys ice cream, macro-photography, and the company of old people.

See stories by Heidi Arnold

Courtney Alspaugh

Courtney Alspaugh was born in Ohio and holds a certificate in plumbing. She takes pride in using her skills to serve others and is a caregiver for her elderly grandmother, an experience that has strengthened her commitment to compassion, responsibility and service.

See stories by Courtney Alspaugh