Published January 30, 2023

Javier Luna Changes Lives through Exercise at Bay Correctional Facility

“I can’t find a staff person or an offender that does not like Mr. Luna,” says Jesse Williams. Javier Luna is the recreation supervisor at the Bay Correctional Facility in Panama City, Florida, where Jesse is the warden.

“Every single day he is the epitome of the word called consistent,” Warden Williams states. “I just believe if you look the word up in the ‘Webster’s Dictionary,’ his picture would lie right there. He’s happy every day. He gives it all every day. He’s passionate about what he does in that recreation department.”

Jesse Williams, warden at Bay Correctional Facility.

“We’ve got to care for these people, for the inmates,” says Javier. “We cannot just bring them in here and just forget about [them]. I believe that they should be able to come out and enjoy some exercise, and I encourage them to do better. That’s what we do.”

In his personal life, Javier is passionate about fitness. He works out regularly and sets the example to the residents at Bay on the importance of consistent exercise.

“Sometimes the inmates ask me, ‘How much do you bench press?’,” Javier says, grinning. “I don’t go to the gym to bench press. I just go to enjoy [and] exercise myself. I know that by exercising, you are able to, hopefully, last longer. And that’s what I’m trying to do. Trying to be a better person [with] less health issues. So, when I do that in here, I’m helping them to – when they get out – hopefully…[have] less health issues.”

Javier Luna, recreation supervisor at Bay Correctional Facility.

Warden Williams appreciates the positive influence Javier has, not only on the residents, but on fellow staff members as well.

“He’ll help and assist anybody and everybody with anything,” explains Warden Williams. “And if he can’t do it, you can just believe he’ll find somebody who can. Our philosophy of BIONIC, he is somebody, in my mind, that really has grabbed a hold of that. And even if that was not our philosophy, he’s been living that before MTC came on the scene here.”

“I enjoy this job,” states Javier. “I’m making [things] better. That’s what I like to do, make [things] better for them. If I make it better for them, then guess what? I made somebody happy today.”