<p>The following is an analysis of the life story of Gilber Caro who entered, at an early age, into a life of crime in Venezuela and later, through a profound transformation, reconverted to a life of pro-social activism. Through his life story, recollected throughout seven years and seventeen in depth interviews, we explore the contextual factors, personal decisions, identity and emotional processes that influenced his entrance and later exit from a life of crime. Identity and emotional processes, interpersonal influences, gender issues, discursive frameworks and contextual factors that opened or closed opportunities for transformation in his life are explored. The analysis extends our comprehension on the importance of emotions and how they interact with discursive frameworks to open or close possible identity projects.</p>