--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Death row saved my life. It taught me…" description: "\"Death row saved my life. It taught me everything is a luxury to be treasured.\" — Nick Yarris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/nick-yarris-20261_death_death-row-saved-my-life-it-taught-me-eve_693410.jpg" --- # Death row saved my life. It taught me everything is a… ![“Death row saved my life. It taught me everything is a luxury to be treasured.” quote by Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/nick-yarris-20261_death_death-row-saved-my-life-it-taught-me-eve_693410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/nick-yarris-20261_death_death-row-saved-my-life-it-taught-me-eve_693410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/nick-yarris-20261_death_death-row-saved-my-life-it-taught-me-eve_693410.jpg) > “Death row saved my life. It taught me everything is a luxury to be treasured.” [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Experiencing death row taught him to value life's luxuries and cherish each moment. **In simple terms:** Death row taught him to treasure life. Key Takeaway Appreciate life's precious moments. Themes mortality gratitude redemption Mood hopeful thoughtful Type autobiographical motivational When to use this quote - prison life - post‑incarceration - public speaking Key Concepts Existential reflection personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What daily practices foster gratitude? - How can you share this perspective with others? A Different Perspective Trauma can distort perception of value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death row](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-row/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-taught/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [My life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-life/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved/) [Saved Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved-life/) [Treasured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treasured/) ## Related quotes > [Public school teachers in Long Island, New York, saved my life in the '70s. They were involved and invested and helpful. One took me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/public-school-teachers-in-long-island-new-york-saved-my-life-in-the/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [I genuinely believe that being on death row for 22 years ultimately saved my life. It was the greatest adventure of my life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-genuinely-believe-that-being-on-death-row-for-22-years-ultimately/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [My 15 years of freedom have been harder than all of my death row years combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/my-15-years-of-freedom-have-been-harder-than-all-of-my-death-row/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [So the chances of you being sentenced to Death Row in America is roughly the same as you winning the lottery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/so-the-chances-of-you-being-sentenced-to-death-row-in-america-is/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [For more than 20 years my identity was bonded with those people on death row, I cared about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/for-more-than-20-years-my-identity-was-bonded-with-those-people-on/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [In death row every rule in society is flipped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/in-death-row-every-rule-in-society-is-flipped/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I just saved your life, and you still don't trust me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-rabbit/i-just-saved-your-life-and-you-still-don-t-trust-me/) [Jessica Rabbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-rabbit/) > [Art saved my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/art-saved-my-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I gave up dope and alcohol, my immediate feeling was 'I've saved my life, but there'll be a price because I'll have nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/when-i-gave-up-dope-and-alcohol-my-immediate-feeling-was-i-ve-saved/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Acting probably saved my life. It gave me a home and a safe place to let out all of my emotions and have it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-marcil/acting-probably-saved-my-life-it-gave-me-a-home-and-a-safe-place-to/) [Vanessa Marcil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-marcil/) > [Sports saved my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlyn-jenner/sports-saved-my-life/) [Caitlyn Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlyn-jenner/) > [Marijuana saved my life. I have no doubts about it and you dont need to show me any data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-scott/marijuana-saved-my-life-i-have-no-doubts-about-it-and-you-dont-need/) [Greg Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-scott/) > [Yeah, absolutely - comedy saved my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-cole/yeah-absolutely-comedy-saved-my-life/) [Deon Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-cole/) > [Erik, Erik! I saved your life! Remember? You were scentenced to death! But for me you would be dead by now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-leroux/erik-erik-i-saved-your-life-remember-you-were-scentenced-to-death-but/) [Gaston Leroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-leroux/) > [Hormone blockers changed and saved my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-jennings/hormone-blockers-changed-and-saved-my-life/) [Jazz Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-jennings/) ## More by Nick Yarris > [It is really difficult to read a movie script about yourself and to think that a major actor - perhaps even Chris Pine -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/it-is-really-difficult-to-read-a-movie-script-about-yourself-and-to/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [In death row every rule in society is flipped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/in-death-row-every-rule-in-society-is-flipped/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I genuinely believe that being on death row for 22 years ultimately saved my life. It was the greatest adventure of my life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-genuinely-believe-that-being-on-death-row-for-22-years-ultimately/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [My sentence formally was imposed on my mothers 50th Birthday January 24th 1983. The jury recommended it July 1st 1982.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/my-sentence-formally-was-imposed-on-my-mothers-50th-birthday-january/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [The whole purpose of my education ultimately was so I could deliver a statement eloquently before my execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/the-whole-purpose-of-my-education-ultimately-was-so-i-could-deliver-a/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [Here's the crazy thing: if I was guilty I would be entitled to job training, housing, medical treatment. But I have nothing. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/here-s-the-crazy-thing-if-i-was-guilty-i-would-be-entitled-to-job/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [Everyone seems to be rushing through their lives, wishing they had just two minutes to do all the things they want to get gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/everyone-seems-to-be-rushing-through-their-lives-wishing-they-had/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I believe life imprisonment is far worse than the death penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-believe-life-imprisonment-is-far-worse-than-the-death-penalty/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [They put me in solitary confinement, and although I went on to do 8,755 days of solitary in total, the first two were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/they-put-me-in-solitary-confinement-and-although-i-went-on-to-do-8/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I used music and reading to erase my world, so basically I read for up to 16 hours a day for 23 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-used-music-and-reading-to-erase-my-world-so-basically-i-read-for-up/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [The hardest thing to do when people are hurting you is to remain a decent person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/the-hardest-thing-to-do-when-people-are-hurting-you-is-to-remain-a/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I was 20 when I was sentenced to death. My life had been on a one-way path to self-destruction for years. I don't remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-was-20-when-i-was-sentenced-to-death-my-life-had-been-on-a-one-way/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I had an enormous responsibility not just to survive but to become a good man because I had all of my family's hopes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-had-an-enormous-responsibility-not-just-to-survive-but-to-become-a/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I used to dream about being able to sit at a table with another human being, have a normal conversation, and have a meal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-used-to-dream-about-being-able-to-sit-at-a-table-with-another-human/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) > [I realised no one else was going to care about me so I started to be nice to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yarris/i-realised-no-one-else-was-going-to-care-about-me-so-i-started-to-be/) [Nick Yarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) [Explore all 31 Nick Yarris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yarris/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Death row saved my life. 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