Before his conviction for the murder of his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, Pistorius was celebrated as the country's hero, known for his remarkable journey from leg amputation as a baby to becoming an Olympic sprinter, earning the moniker "Blade Runner" due to his high-tech prosthetics.
However, the tragic incident on Valentine's Day in 2013 changed the course of his life. Pistorius fatally shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door in his Pretoria mansion, claiming he mistook her for an intruder in a nation with significant crime rates. Despite his self-defense argument, the prosecution portrayed him as a possessive and aggressive figure who callously killed Steenkamp during an altercation.
Following a globally publicized trial and subsequent legal battles, Pistorius was found guilty of murder, serving half of his 13-year and five-month sentence. Now, at 37 years old, he steps out of Pretoria prison into an uncertain future.
During his time behind bars, Pistorius reportedly turned to the Bible for solace, as revealed by his father in an interview with Britain's The Times newspaper. Upon release, he will be under supervision, staying at his uncle's residence in Pretoria until the completion of his sentence in 2029, as detailed by South Africa's Department of Correctional Services.
Despite his past fame and accomplishments, Pistorius will be subject to standard parole conditions, including specific curfew hours and restrictions on alcohol and prohibited substances. The department emphasized that his high profile doesn't exempt him from these regulations, highlighting that he must comply with mandatory programs during his parole, such as therapy for gender-based violence issues.
The Steenkamp family, after Pistorius' parole was granted in November, expressed their focus on one of the parole programs involving therapy for gender-based violence—an indication of their ongoing anguish and efforts toward advocacy in the aftermath of their tragic loss.