A Los Angeles woman who married a man serving a life sentence in prison insists their relationship is blossoming despite the couple only getting to spend a night together once every four months.
Maria Ferrer, 34, met her incarcerated husband Rayshun, 33, in October 2014 through a mutual friend, and though she says she never imagined that she's find love with someone in prison, she knew there was a strong connection from the very first conversation.
Now Maria, a singer and vocal coach, is writing songs about her experience as a prison wife, and has released two albums called The Prison Wife Handbook and The Prison Wife Handbook 2.
Locked up: Maria Ferrer, 34, met her incarcerated husband Rayshun, 33, in October 2014 through a mutual friend
Loyal: Now Maria, a singer and vocal coach, is writing songs about her experience as a prison wife
In 2014, a mutual friend introduced her to Rayshun, who was sent to prison for life when he was 15 for a crime she doesn't wish to disclose.
'He was a juvenile offender and received a life sentence for his offence. He was only 15 when he was put in prison and he’s now 33,' she said.
'At first I felt compassion for him being incarcerated at such a young age, though I didn’t expect to fall in love. However, I really enjoyed our first conversation and I felt a strong connection to him right away,' she added.
Maria and Rayshun got married in 2016, which allowed Maria to have conjugal visits once every four months.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
Mother who put her five children on a 30-day 'tech detox'...
Man reveals his fiancee 'went ballistic' after he spent...
Share this article
Share'The visits are a great time for us to connect,' she said. 'Last time we just spoke for over eight hours and looked up and watched the sun go down. I even asked him for a slow dance… although he had two left feet, I was having the time of my life.'
Although Rayshun is locked up for life, there have been many changes in laws affecting youth offenders who were under the age of 21 when they committed their crime. This means that Rayshun could be eligible for parole in eight years.
Three times a year: Maria and Rayshun got married in 2016, which allowed Maria to have conjugal visits once every four months
'I really enjoyed our first conversation and I felt a strong connection to him right away,' she said
Love letters: Rayshun writes her sweet messages on their anniversary
The couple plan to live together and hopefully start a family when he is released.
'I can’t wait for us to live together,' she said. 'I’m looking forward to us living together and possibly starting a family when he leaves prison.
'It’s certainly hard when he’s not here to help with daily tasks. It’s also hard because he can’t see the success I’m having with my music.
Maria has been a singer her whole life, but switched to vocal coaching a decade ago, moving to Los Angeles and starting her own company, Queen Vision Entertainment.
'I’ve always been a singer and I pursued a career in music in my earlier years, though I gave this up ten years ago because things just weren’t moving forward how I’d have liked them to,' she said.
In 2017, one of her students asked her why she didn’t write her own music. Maria told him that she didn’t know what to sing about, and he said she should focus on writing about being a prison wife.
Singing what she knows: She has released two albums, called The Prison Wife Handbook and The Prison Wife Handbook 2
Crime: Rayshun got a life sentence for a crime he committed at age 15, but changing laws mean he may eventually be up for parole
Pictured: More cards that Maria and Rayshun have exchanged
Lyrics to Maria Ferrer's 'That's My Baby'
He was the first one to get at me with some realness
Like a grown a** man even though he a G
I know its not the most ideal situation
But the way he's loving me you won't find me complaining
I love it how he always wants to make me happy
Says that I'm a Queen and I don't have to worry about nothing
You can’t help who you love and that's my baby
He can be miles away, he can be locked in a cage, but he'll always have my heart
He can be miles away, he can be locked in a cage, but he'll always have my heart
My friends think I'm crazy, they say I’m trippin'
"Your with a man in jail, how you know he's gonna change?"
He treats me better than anyone ever has
And while were on the subject, let's talk about your man
He can be miles away, he can be locked in a cage, but he'll always have my heart
He can be miles away, he can be locked in a cage, but he'll always have my heart
That's my Baby
That's my baby
That's my baby
That's my baby
Lyrics from Genius
<!- - ad: - ->AdvertisementThe idea gave her new determination, and she wrote her first song, called 'That’s My Baby,' about her relationship with Rayshun.
She shared it on Instagram, but was worried about what people would think.
'To my surprise, I received hundreds of messages from women all over the world saying they were in the same shoes,' she said.
'Since then, I’ve had two popular albums released called The Prison Wife Handbook and The Prison Wife Handbook 2.'
Rayshun hasn't heard her music yet, but Maria says he's aware of her success and has seen other wives compliment her during visits.
To connect with other wives of prisoners, Maria has also created an online support group called The Butterfly Squad. The group gives women with incarcerated partners a place to share their pains and struggles together as a community.
'These women support my movement and we all support one another too. We all feel the same type of pain and this group gives me an opportunity to help them reach their highest vibration vs being depressed and miserable,' she said.
Maria passes on some positive advice about what makes a happy relationship.
'Having your loved one around 24/7 should not be taken for granted. Fighting and bickering over the small things is so pointless,' she said.
'Also, in the prison wife community, if your husband is locked away for just a few months, just remember some husbands or partners aren’t ever coming back home,' she added.
Maria is also aware that some people think she is foolish to marry someone who is locked away.
'We all judge other people’s situation. I have been called crazy for dating someone in prison,' she said.
'I know of people in far worse relationships outside of prison who are very unhappy and then I know people who are in happy relationships even though their loved one is incarcerated. If you are in a healthy happy relationship like I am then simply love who you want to love, period.'
