Show Notes:

• Damon realizes that every day is a gift and often times it's even hard for him to understand his journey
• Grew up in Port Arthur, TX where his dad, Bob West, was the Sports Editor for the "Port Arthur News" and he describes Port Arthur as a melting pot
• It wasn't until he was around 11 years old that he realized he could throw the football really well
• When he was 9, a female babysitter sexually abused him which ultimately led him to seek out adult vices such as drinking and smoking marijuana
• Would attend the University of North Texas on a football scholarship as the starting QB
• Addiction to methamphetamine would derail his post-college career in the financial sector and he would resort to burglarizing people's homes to pay for his addiction
• He would be sentenced to 65 years in prison in 2009 and heard the message of the coffee bean from an inmate (Mr. Jackson) in the county jail before he was moved to a Texas maximum-security prison
• Was paroled in 2016 and wrote his first book and autobiography called "The Change Agent" which is now being made into a movie
• Sports has taught him to be a team player and to be a successful team you have to be able to communicate and bond with sports providing that outlet and sports is part of something bigger than just games
• Words of Wisdom from Damon West: "Be a coffee bean."

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Damon West and Dallas News