On October 17, 2025, I was given something I never thought I would have again: a true second chance at life. A chance to grow, to change, and to walk a better path.
When you go through darkness, when you lose everything, your freedom, your reputation, your sense of control, you either surrender to despair or choose to fight your way back. I chose faith. And faith, in its purest form, has brought me here today.
First and foremost, I want to thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for never abandoning me. I am far from perfect. I have stumbled, I have made mistakes, and I have faced the consequences of my actions. But even when I was at my lowest, when the world turned its back on me, His grace carried me through. There were nights I thought I would not make it to the morning, but He never left my side. His mercy gave me strength when I had none, and for that, I will be eternally grateful.
I also want to express my deepest gratitude to President Donald J. Trump. Earlier today, I had the honor of speaking with him personally, a conversation I will never forget. In that moment, I did not just see the strength of a great leader; I saw the heart of a man who truly believes in mercy, redemption, and the enduring promise of America, the promise of a second chance.
President Trump’s decision to commute my sentence was not an act of politics; it was an act of compassion. His kindness, his humanity, and his generosity toward my family and me touched me deeply. He reminded me that in this country we love so much, no mistake, no hardship, and no fall from grace can erase the potential for renewal. His faith in second chances reignited my own. For that, I will be forever thankful.
To my friends who stood by me when I had nothing left to offer, thank you. You prayed for me, you believed in me, and you fought for me when I could not fight for myself. You showed me that even in Washington, D.C., there are real friends, people who care about more than headlines and politics. I will not name names because there are too many, and I would never want to leave anyone out. But you know who you are, and I will never forget your loyalty or your love.
To my critics, I hold no anger, no resentment, no bitterness. I have made peace with my past. I move forward with humility and gratitude. Life is too short to waste on vengeance or retribution. We are all Americans, flawed, human, and trying our best to do right. We may disagree, but at the end of the day, we all want a better, fairer country.
That is why, inspired by President Trump’s commitment to peace and his tireless efforts toward a safer world, I am dedicating my next chapter to doing good, to building bridges instead of walls. My focus will be on prison reform and accountability. I know firsthand how broken parts of our justice system are. I have lived it. I have seen the inhumanity, the indifference, and the abuse of power.
No one, no matter their crime, should ever be dehumanized or degraded. The conditions I endured at FCI Fairton under Warden Lynn B. Kelly and Assistant Warden Nobile will stay with me forever. But rather than dwell on pain, I will turn that experience into purpose. I will fight to ensure that every inmate in this country is treated with dignity, that rehabilitation means more than a word on paper, and that the justice system truly lives up to its name.
I am not returning to public life to settle scores or chase headlines. I am returning because I have a mission. I have learned that the measure of a man is not how he falls, but how he rises after the fall.
Yes, I am back, but I am back as a new man, with faith in God, gratitude in my heart, and a renewed commitment to service.
This is not the end of my story. It is a new beginning. And to anyone reading this who has fallen, who has been cast aside, or who feels forgotten, remember this: if you are still breathing, God is not done with you yet.
America is still the land of second chances. I am living proof of that.