Keynote speaker and author Damon West shared his transformative life story with students in Madison City Schools on Thursday, emphasizing the power of making positive choices.

West, who once served more than seven years in prison for his involvement in a Texas burglary ring, spoke candidly about the devastating impact drugs had on his life.

"I gave everything away for that drug. My job, gone. My home, gone, homeless. My car, repossessed, gone. My family, I left them," West said.

He explained how he went from being a promising college football player to a convict, sentenced to 65 years in prison due to his drug-fueled crimes. West's message to students was clear: change begins from within.

"In the pot of warm water we call life, you get three choices: be like a carrot and turn soft, mus

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