Savannah Chrisley and Chase Chrisley are doing everything they can to support Todd and Julie’s parents during Chrisley knows best star stays in prison.
After her departure from Special forces: the toughest test in the world on Monday’s episode, Savannah gives PEOPLE an update on the latest events in her life related to her parents’ prison sentence for tax evasion and fraud. Not only did Todd and Julie’s plight lead Savannah, 26, to join Fox’s boot camp-style competition series, but it also inspired her to become an activist for prison reform.
“This has been quite a journey,” she says. “I like to say I was deaf to the system. I’m not sitting here saying I’m the most knowledgeable person when it comes to this. So what I’ve done is I’ve taken my injury that I’ve had and I’m trying to take that pain and do it effective instead of letting it eat away at me.”
She continues: “I see men and women who suffer every day and these families who suffer. And unfortunately, we live in a world that is so quick to reject people because we can always find someone new. I absolutely hate it because these men and women also need people who will fight for them. And there’s no reason why they should be treated the way they are and people should pay more attention to that.”
Savannah Chrisley calls brutal boot camp ‘gift’ that gave her ‘time to process’ family trauma (Exclusive)
So Savannah — and her older brother Chase, 27 — have made it their mission to right the wrongs they’ve seen since Todd and Julie started their legal troubles. The longtime couple, who reported to prison in January and have since had their combined 19-year sentences reduced, are still in the process of appealing their case.
“Me and Chase, we come to them every day and I’m the one [of my siblings] who is in charge of all their legal matters,” she explains. “I talk to the lawyers every day. I make sure they have what they need while they’re in prison and I show up for them. So I’m the most knowledgeable about it.”
(L-R) Julie Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley and Todd Chrisley are pictured on ‘Chrisley’s Believe It Or Not’.
Vivian Zink/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Savannah has been taking care of younger siblings Grayson and Chloe (her brother Kyle Chrisley’s daughter who was legally adopted by Todd, 54, and Julie, 50) while her parents are in prison. Being a surrogate single parent “definitely isn’t easy,” she admits, but the trio “learn and grow together.”
“I’m grateful for that and I’ve made sure everyone is in therapy. We do things to improve our lives every day. Get the negativity out and try to love each other and love each other well,” she shares. “I have great friends in my life and great people who just showed up for me. They’re like, ‘Savannah, you’re always showing up for other people, let us show up for you.’ I let that happen and I’m so grateful to people for coming forward.”
Savannah Chrisley Shares Camp Lesson to Teach Niece and Brother Amid Parent’s Jail (Exclusive)
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Savannah Chrisley on the red carpet for Fox’s ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ at the Fox Studio Lot on September 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Winter/Getty
As for how her parents are coping, in general Unlocked The podcast host says that Todd and Julie “realize that everything I do has to be uncomfortable for them to make lasting change, and then they agree because they see people suffering every day.”
She continues, “They see it, and they say, ‘If we can help fight this and make a difference, then maybe this was God’s plan for us.’ So they try to stay positive. Some days are definitely harder than others.”
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Special forces: the toughest test in the world airs Mondays at 9pm ET on Fox.
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Source: HIS Education