A man convicted of raping a woman in 1981 was cleared by DNA testing last month and freed from a Louisiana prison last week after spending the last 30 years in prison.

DNA testing revealed that Henry James Jr. was not the man who broke into his neighbor’s home and sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint in 1981.

“If you lose hope, you lose everything,” said the now 50-year-old James said. “I kept praying and telling myself, ‘It’s going to be alright. God is going to make a way for you.'”

After prosecutors dismissed James’ indictment Thursday afternoon, 24th Judicial District Judge Henry Sullivan signed an order vacating James’ conviction and authorizing his release from prison. James was set free last Friday.

“It was a feeling of a miracle,” said James. “I was shocked. I finally found justice after 30 years.”