Episode 27: "Second Chances"

Thomas Egbert, 55

Helena, MT

What happens when your entire life is ripped away by a justice system that fails you? Tom's story offers a raw look at resilience in the face of catastrophic injustice.

At just 21 years old, Tom watched his promising career as a lead auto technician crumble when he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for a crime committed by someone else. Despite the shooter receiving only a six-year sentence (and serving just three), Tom faced the devastating reality that his life as he knew it was over. Knowing he was innocent, Tom made the difficult decision to fight his case. This is his story.. 

Behind prison walls, Tom navigated a brutal environment defined by racial segregation, violence, and a complete absence of rehabilitation. Yet in this darkness, he found unexpected mentorship from an Aryan Brotherhood member with legal expertise who gave him crucial advice: "Ain't nobody going to get you out of this shit but you." Taking this to heart, Tom taught himself the law, filing appeals and motions while working for mere cents per hour in the prison kitchen.

The story takes a remarkable turn when Tom's childhood sweetheart discovers him through a letter crossing her desk at the child support enforcement office. After reading his case transcripts and recognizing the miscarriage of justice, she stands by him throughout his remaining sentence, becoming his anchor to the outside world.

Tom's mechanical genius — becomes his salvation. From rebuilding a 1967 Camaro as a youth to his current work restoring vehicles and equipment, Tom's ability to fix broken things serves as both livelihood and metaphor for his own life journey.

Now rebuilding his life day by day, Tom faces the ongoing challenge of employment discrimination due to his record, while fighting for stability and trying to create a meaningful future with his wife—whose family has disowned her for choosing to be with him. This is that for real love.<3

Have you ever considered how easily your life could be derailed by a flawed system? Listen to Tom's powerful testimony of perseverance, and discover what it truly means to rebuild a life from the ground up.

There was a moment in the conversation, when Tom is explaining what was going through his young fragile mind. When sitting in his cell waiting and preparing for violence to erupt as soon as his cell door opens. 

I had chills running through me, as I listened to this story of a young man doing what had to be done in order to survive the next years of his adult life.

After the conversation, Tom said to me. 

“Rj.. I just want to let you know, I used to be involved in a d

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