I worked in Congress, worked for a guy running for president, worked on Wall Street, tried meth for the first time, and went off the rails, and for three years committed property crimes against the people of Dallas.

I didn't just break into people's homes and steal their property. I broke into people's homes and stole their system security.

And when the judge read 65 years, my life is over. And I think there's really only four things you can control in life. And this is like from me being locked up in a prison. But if you can focus yourself on those four things, you can watch your life take off. He was a Division I quarterback with a bright future until addiction took it all away. From meth addict to convicted felon, Damon West's life hit

rock bottom in a Texas prison. Now as an author and sought after speaker, he shares how

transformation is always possible and how anyone can rewrite their story. Do have us have the power

to help us overcome our failure? Absolutely. I meet more people out here in the free world, Ken,

than are locked up than I ever did when I served time in a real prison.

When I was in prison, I changed the way I saw SWAT when they got me.

They didn't just arrest me that day. They rescued me that day.

And man.

Damon, I can't even possibly imagine how to process this question.

So when you're standing in front of a judge and you get sentenced to 65 years and you're a young man,

what does that feel like? What's the range of emotions? emotions yeah man um that was a tough day that was

may 18th 2009 and um it was the end of a trial the trial was for organized crime it was

the ringleader of a bunch of other meth addicts breaking into houses all over dallas um

it was a riko case so it was organized crime And the jury's there for six days. And, you know, the facts of the case are overwhelming against me. I did everything they said I did. There was no, there was no violent crimes, thank God, you know. But I got a lot of victims. And I didn't just break into people's homes and steal their property. I broke into people's homes and stole their sensitive security. And so these people are mad at me. The jury's angry with me. I get it. I'm not a good guy. They heard a story about a good guy at one time, though. I mean, I was once, you know, I came from a great family. I had two parents in the home. My mom, my dad, We're married for 55 years. Good Catholic home. Good student.

Great football player, Division I College quarterback. two parents in the home. My mom and my dad were married for 55 years, good Catholic home,

good student, great football player, Division I College quarterback, best jobs, worked in Congress,

worked for a guy running for president, worked on Wall Street. But then they heard about the time that Damon West tried meth for the first time and went off the rails and for three years

committed property crimes against the people of Dallas. And when the jury came back with their verdict, I knew I was in trouble, Ken, because they were deliberated for 10 minutes. Yeah, not a good sign. I sit there for six days and then they're gone for 10 minutes. It's like, hey, let's get out of here, let's go. We know the guy's guilty. And it was just a question of how much time did I get?

And when the judge read 65 years,

it took my breath away. It took my mom's breath, my mom was on the front row of the courtroom. This is a story I haven't told a whole lot. I heard my mother gasp, sure. You know, the sound only a mother can make when she hears her son sentenced to life in prison, which 65 years is a life sentence in prison. But yeah, I can.

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