damon west june 6 2017
Sentenced to 65 years in a Texas prison, Damon West once
had it all. He came from a great family, in a home full of God, love,
support, and opportunities to reach any dream. A natural born leader,
with good looks and charm, and a three-year starting quarterback, he
appeared to be the all-American kid living out his dreams. Underneath
this facade, however, was an addict in the early stages of his disease.
After suffering childhood sexual abuse by a babysitter at the age of
nine, he began putting chemicals into his body to alter the way he felt,
starting with drinking and smoking. By the age of 12, he would escalate
to marijuana use. In his mind, he was not hurting anyone by smoking pot;
in reality, he was feeding the monster that is addiction. After
receiving a scholarship to play football for the University of North
Texas, Damon left for college on a wave of euphoria at his prospects of
playing Division I football in Texas. College presented Damon with many
new opportunities in life. He began college as a student-athlete and got
involved in campus life, joining the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. When
his football career came to a premature end, due to an injury, in 1996,
against Texas A&M, Damon lost all direction. Football had become so much
of his identity that he no longer knew who he was; his purpose and
reason for existence were lost to him. Feeling the pressure of the
existential vacuum, Damon chose a dark path on the road of addiction,
abusing harder drugs like cocaine, ecstasy and prescription pills to go
along with the alcohol and marijuana. After graduating in 1999, Damon’s
life would take him to the United States Congress, political fundraising
for a presidential candidate and then into the world of Wall Street,
with a position to train as a stockbroker for one of the biggest banks
in the world, U.B.S. It was at this last stop that Damon was introduced
to methamphetamine for the first time; he was instantly hooked. The
lives of so many innocent people would forever be changed by the choices
he made in order to feed his insatiable meth habit. After three years of
committing property crimes (burglaries of homes, buildings, vehicles, as
well as auto theft) and other drug-related crimes, with a dozen other
meth addicts, a Dallas SWAT team finally caught up with Damon and
arrested him on July 30, 2008. Or, as Damon refers to when speaking, he
was not “arrested” so much as he was “rescued.” After reconnecting with
his family and his faith in Dallas County Jail, he began the long
process of paying for his crimes. The consequences of his behavior
earned him a life-sentence of 65 years for Engaging in Organized
Criminal Activity. With a promise to his parents to come home as
“someone they will recognize,” Damon left for prison. Prison life began
with a violent baptism-by-fire. Armed with the knowledge that “you don’t
have to win all your fights, but you do have to fight all your fights,”
he battled for his right to exist independent of a gang. Clinging close
to God, his family’s unwavering support, a 12-step recovery program and
all the tools available to him, Damon emerged from prison a better man
spiritually, emotionally and physically. On November 16, he walked out
of prison on 58 years of parole. Today, Damon works for the Provost
Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont, TX. When not out speaking to students and
athletes about the dangers of drugs and the consequences of bad
decisions, he spends his free time volunteering, doing service work,
attending 12 Step Recovery groups, exercising and enjoying his new life
with his family and faith community at St. Elizabeth’s Church. His
message is both a cautionary tale and one of hope and perseverance in
the face of the most extreme odds.
TEXAS A&M vs. NORTH TEXAS 1996 – DAMON’S LAST GAME ARIZONA STATE vs.
NORTH TEXAS – DAMON THROWS A TOUCHDOWN
had it all. He came from a great family, in a home full of God, love,
support, and opportunities to reach any dream. A natural born leader,
with good looks and charm, and a three-year starting quarterback, he
appeared to be the all-American kid living out his dreams. Underneath
this facade, however, was an addict in the early stages of his disease.
After suffering childhood sexual abuse by a babysitter at the age of
nine, he began putting chemicals into his body to alter the way he felt,
starting with drinking and smoking. By the age of 12, he would escalate
to marijuana use. In his mind, he was not hurting anyone by smoking pot;
in reality, he was feeding the monster that is addiction. After
receiving a scholarship to play football for the University of North
Texas, Damon left for college on a wave of euphoria at his prospects of
playing Division I football in Texas. College presented Damon with many
new opportunities in life. He began college as a student-athlete and got
involved in campus life, joining the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. When
his football career came to a premature end, due to an injury, in 1996,
against Texas A&M, Damon lost all direction. Football had become so much
of his identity that he no longer knew who he was; his purpose and
reason for existence were lost to him. Feeling the pressure of the
existential vacuum, Damon chose a dark path on the road of addiction,
abusing harder drugs like cocaine, ecstasy and prescription pills to go
along with the alcohol and marijuana. After graduating in 1999, Damon’s
life would take him to the United States Congress, political fundraising
for a presidential candidate and then into the world of Wall Street,
with a position to train as a stockbroker for one of the biggest banks
in the world, U.B.S. It was at this last stop that Damon was introduced
to methamphetamine for the first time; he was instantly hooked. The
lives of so many innocent people would forever be changed by the choices
he made in order to feed his insatiable meth habit. After three years of
committing property crimes (burglaries of homes, buildings, vehicles, as
well as auto theft) and other drug-related crimes, with a dozen other
meth addicts, a Dallas SWAT team finally caught up with Damon and
arrested him on July 30, 2008. Or, as Damon refers to when speaking, he
was not “arrested” so much as he was “rescued.” After reconnecting with
his family and his faith in Dallas County Jail, he began the long
process of paying for his crimes. The consequences of his behavior
earned him a life-sentence of 65 years for Engaging in Organized
Criminal Activity. With a promise to his parents to come home as
“someone they will recognize,” Damon left for prison. Prison life began
with a violent baptism-by-fire. Armed with the knowledge that “you don’t
have to win all your fights, but you do have to fight all your fights,”
he battled for his right to exist independent of a gang. Clinging close
to God, his family’s unwavering support, a 12-step recovery program and
all the tools available to him, Damon emerged from prison a better man
spiritually, emotionally and physically. On November 16, he walked out
of prison on 58 years of parole. Today, Damon works for the Provost
Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont, TX. When not out speaking to students and
athletes about the dangers of drugs and the consequences of bad
decisions, he spends his free time volunteering, doing service work,
attending 12 Step Recovery groups, exercising and enjoying his new life
with his family and faith community at St. Elizabeth’s Church. His
message is both a cautionary tale and one of hope and perseverance in
the face of the most extreme odds.
TEXAS A&M vs. NORTH TEXAS 1996 – DAMON’S LAST GAME ARIZONA STATE vs.
NORTH TEXAS – DAMON THROWS A TOUCHDOWN
Interested in being a sponsor?
Download the website sponsorship guide
Download the website sponsorship guide