Some stories don’t just need to be told — they need to be heard. On this episode of Author Corner, host Stephanie Larkin welcomes author Michael Vecchione and NYPD veteran Jimmy Dennedy to talk about their powerful new book, Hard Guys Cry.
For more than two decades, Jimmy Dennedy served the people of New York City as a member of the NYPD — first patrolling some of Brooklyn’s toughest, crime-ridden streets, then confronting the devastation of the narcotics trade, and finally chasing down terrorists as a detective on the NYPD-FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force. But Jimmy’s story doesn’t end with retirement. It transforms.
For 25 years, Jimmy dedicated himself to a prison ministry at Otisville Federal Penitentiary and Shawangunk State Prison — reaching the hearts and consciences of men not unlike those he once arrested. His work brought peace to those still serving time and gave others the foundation to rebuild their lives crime-free after release.
In this conversation, Michael Vecchione shares what it took to capture Jimmy’s remarkable journey on the page, while Jimmy himself reflects on a life that moved from enforcing the law to healing the men caught in its grip. It’s a story about toughness, transformation, and the quiet strength it takes for hard guys to cry.
A gripping true story of redemption — from the streets of Brooklyn to the soul of the men behind bars.