ADAPTING TO LIFE

Oscar will have to get used to everyday things again.

“The strangeness of release after a long time in prison can be unsettling at first,” Hanekom says. “For example, the peace and tranquillity of a home, sleeping in your own bed in a quiet room and interacting socially with people – all these take some getting used to. But most inmates adapt with time because it’s so much better than prison life.”

Oscar will need to avoid substances that could land him in trouble.

“Avoiding alcohol in particular can be a big challenge because it’s so integrated into social activities,” Hanekom says.

His family will need to understand that it will take time for Oscar to reintegrate into life, he adds. “But he shouldn’t be mollycoddled or overprotected either. He should be allowed to find himself and be independent.” Prisoners often keep in touch with family and friends on the outside but even so, bonds with loved ones need to formed again when they’re released, Hanekom says.

One danger Oscar faces is the fact that, because he’s well-known, people may try to develop friendships with him out of curiosity instead of genuine kindness or interest.

He could also become “a kind of recluse,” Hanekom says, and do whatever he can to avoid public scrutiny.

“People aren’t going to forget him like some other guy who committed murder.”

A friend of Oscar’s says the former athlete is unlikely to disappear from public view altogether but will want to lay low for a while.

“He doesn’t see the media as his enemy, but I think he’s just going to want to start over now.”

The friend says Oscar became more and more excited at the prospect of his freedom. “He’s been doing so much better over the past two years. He had a spiritual experience and sorted himself out.”

‘AVOIDING ALCOHOL CAN BE A BIG CHALLENGE’