Some stories stay with us because they remind us how quickly a life can unravel. That’s how it feels hearing about Pieter Tritton, a man who went from a quiet English childhood to one of the world’s deadliest prisons.

As a teen, Pieter slipped into drug dealing to make quick money. The choices kept piling up, and soon he was moving cocaine from Ecuador through hidden routes. In 2005, police uncovered his operation, and everything he had built came crashing down.

The turning point came when he was locked inside Quito Prison, a place ruled by gangs and constant fear. Pieter said violence could erupt anywhere, at any moment. He often walked past scenes so shocking they never left his mind.

But the one memory he can’t forget is the smell of blood after the frequent killings. He said it left a metallic taste in the air that followed him everywhere. Each night, he wondered if he would live to see the morning.

Things grew even worse when he was transferred to a larger and more dangerous prison in Guayaquil. Survival meant joining an armed gang, facing fights, illness, and the harsh reality of life behind those walls. By the time he left, he had seen more death than he could count.

When Pieter was finally sent back to the UK, even Wandsworth Prison felt peaceful by comparison. His story is a reminder that one choice can change a path forever, and some lessons are learned in the darkest places.