Anti gang message helping change lives

A former Mongrel Mob leader has been in Rotorua selling his anti-gang message.

Tuhoe Bruno Isaac and hiswife, Delwyn Isaac, have been travelling around New Zealand promoting and selling Mr Isaac's novel True Red, his account of his battle to escape the clutches of gang life.

So far 15,000 copies have been sold.

He said he wrote the book to give back to society and to inspire others who were still in gangs to get out, saying it was not a road anyone should go down.

"I wanted to give the public an idea of why people end up in that kind of lifestyle," he told The Daily Post.

Mr Tuhoe has been out of the Mongrel Mob for 21 years now and said a lot of people took things from the book and changed their lives.

"We have had guys coming out of prison and saying they have read it and been inspired to get out of the gang life," he said.

Mr and Mrs Isaac said they had been blown away by the response they had received from Rotorua residents during their time in the city.

"People have been so inviting and encouraging," Mrs Isaac said.

"One lady read the book in one day and came back the next day crying.

"She came to see us because she wanted a hug."

"The book is about leaving the gang and all those changes and it's also about family and upbringing; how this can determine where you will end up in life," Mr Isaac said.