Innocent man opens Free Man's Food Truck in northeast OKC
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - There's a new food truck in town, and a famous face funding the enterprise.
Glynn Simmons, 71, holds an international distinction as the man who has served the longest prison sentence in history for a crime he did not commit.
News 4 has featured Simmons dozens of times since we started covering his case in detail back in 2003.
Simmons was incarcerated 48 years, five months, 18 days for a murder he did not do. He is now starting life anew in Oklahoma City.
"Today is beautiful; a day I've been waiting on a long long time," Simmons said.
Simmons is working with a friend from the inside. Andre Armstrong did 31 years in state prison and is now running the mobile kitchen.
"I'm trying to support him any way I can," Armstrong said. "Because we always watch each others' back."
Simmons' new friends are also helping with the business plan.
Ebenezer Baptist Church's Pastor Derrick Scobey, along with former congressman J.C. Watts, Representative Jason Lowe and Oklahoma County Sheriff's candidate Wayland Cubit were all in attendance for the grand opening.
His neighbors on Northeast 20th and Martin Luther King Boulevard, the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, gave up a few parking spots for Simmons' new venture, the Free Man's Food Truck.
"A food truck is a really needed thing on the east side, more businesses equal a better community," said Father Lance Schmitz. "It was just a natural fit."
For nearly fifty years, Simmons dreamed about life on the outside. His prison fantasy was to own a small business, to share his love of great food with his community.
One year ago, this innocent man walked out of the Oklahoma County Courthouse a free man; the same courthouse where he'd been sentenced to death in 1975.
"I came out of prison with absolutely nothing," Simmons remembered. "No food. No clothes. No shelter. No transportation."
Generous Oklahomans helped him get back on his feet.
"I don't know nothing else to do but to give back," Simmons said. "After serving for 48 years, all I want to do is serve others now."
Good to his word, he is serving up free food truck fare on this grand opening day.
"When you give it perpetuates. That's been happening to me since I got out."
For Simmons, every day above ground is a good day.
The Free Man Food Truck will be set up near Northeast 20th and MLK for lunch and dinner daily.
Simmons recently got word he's going to receive the maximum compensation from the State of Oklahoma for his wrongful conviction.
He's using a portion of that $175,000 settlement to fund the food truck.