Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley

Episode Title: A Desperate Cry For Help
Release Date: September 9, 2025
Guest: Brady Brewer
Host: Savannah Chrisley

Episode Overview

In this emotionally charged episode, Savannah Chrisley sits down with 16-year-old Brady Brewer. What started as a heartfelt email from Brady led to an unexpected, in-person meeting and, ultimately, his appearance on the podcast. This episode dives deep into Brady's family's ordeal: his father's incarceration for a white-collar crime, the devastating impact on his family—particularly his disabled brother Michael—and the broader failures of the justice and foster care systems.
The conversation is raw, vulnerable, and sheds light on the unseen toll legal battles and addiction take on families, especially children.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Brady’s Email and How He Connected with Savannah

• Meeting Story (01:42–03:02)
  • Brady sent Savannah an emotional email detailing his family's struggle.
  • By chance, Brady traveled to Nashville with "a zip code and a dream" (02:16) and ran into Savannah in a parking lot, leading to their connection.

"I showed up and my mom was reading an email...and you came to Nashville hoping to find me, meet me. We literally ran into each other in a parking lot." — Savannah (01:44)

2. Family Background and Father’s Legal Troubles

• Father’s Incarceration (03:45–06:09)

  • Brady’s father, a Marine veteran, was indicted and sentenced to 5 years in a medium-security federal prison for a white-collar, nonviolent offense.
  • Prison placement was unusually severe: "There is no reason why a white collar offender should ever be in...a medium security prison." (04:56)

• Impact on the Family

  • At the time, the family was already fractured: Brady’s parents were separated; his mother, struggling with alcoholism, lost custody of Brady and his brother.
  • The boys faced a series of traumatic events during their father's absence.

3. Michael's Overdose and Disabilities

• Details of the Overdose (06:09–12:00)
  • Michael, at age 13, attempted to buy drugs via Snapchat and suffered a near-fatal fentanyl overdose on Christmas Eve, 2020.
  • Doctors recommended taking him off life support; against the odds, he survived but suffered severe anoxic brain injury.
• Life After the Overdose
  • Michael learned to walk with assistance, but was later placed in a medical foster home with "horrible conditions."
  • Brady described neglect: "He would have to, you know, essentially try his best to just even get onto the toilet...if he needed more assistance, he’d have to wait 10 minutes just for Felix to get out of bed." (14:06)

4. Foster Care and Systemic Failures

• Neglect and Bureaucracy (13:15–16:28)
  • The foster home provided minimal care. Foster parents were motivated by financial gain, not the children’s well-being.
  • The state provided little oversight. "The government doesn’t even go through and make sure that it is a fit and able home..." (13:52)

5. Father’s Return and New Legal Issues

• Father Regains Custody (16:40–19:52)

  • Upon his release in 2023, Brady’s father fought for and quickly regained custody of his sons.
  • Michael made significant improvements under his father’s care.

• Probation and Retaliation

  • Legal challenges persisted. Brady’s mother allegedly colluded with the probation officer, leading to repeated violations filed against his father.
  • Brady recounts excessive, suspicious communication between his mother and probation officer: "I’ve seen for myself the call logs and the countless hours that this probation officer spent on the phone with her...there’s nothing beneficial..." — Savannah (20:21)

6. Financial & Legal Hurdles

• Accusations and Probation Violations (22:05–25:11)

  • Brady’s father was re-incarcerated for alleged "nonsense" probation violations and accused of hiding assets.
  • Evidence supporting their defense was ignored in court.

• Impact on Medical Care

  • With their father jailed, Michael’s critical therapies (including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and cutting-edge treatments like CRISPR gene therapy) came to a halt.

"He is the only person that is actually helping... my brother... But that can only happen if my dad is able to work on that—he is not able to work on that from the inside of a county jail." — Brady (25:25)

7. Contrast in Justice: Financial vs Violent Crime

• Fentanyl Dealer’s Punishment vs Father’s (26:41–29:00)
  • The dealer who sold Michael the fatal pill received only a single day in jail.
  • Brady and Savannah highlight the injustice: "My whole argument has always been a financial crime should be met with a financial punishment...the man who sold Michael the pill laced with fentanyl on Snapchat was sentenced to one day in jail." — Savannah (26:41)

8. Broader Advocacy: Lawsuits Against Snapchat & Fighting for Justice

• Holding Social Media Accountable (31:16–33:44)
  • The family is involved in efforts to hold Snapchat accountable, joining others in lawsuits related to fentanyl poisonings.
  • Michael, now 18, is being encouraged to share his story and become an advocate for affected families.

9. Brady’s Journey & Personal Toll

• Sacrifice and Growth (39:23–48:05)
  • Brady sacrificed his typical childhood and schooling to become Michael's caretaker.
  • Academically, he struggled but eventually caught up with alternative schooling.
  • The emotional impact is deep: "I kind of lost time there. I don’t really know what happened." (46:03)
• Finding Hope and Plans for the Future
  • Brady dreams of attending the Naval Academy and becoming a Marine pilot, and enjoys golf as an escape.

10. Larger Message and Savannah’s Support

• Empathy and Call to Action (42:26–49:46)
  • Savannah emphasizes the unseen struggles of children of incarcerated parents and pledges to use her platform to raise awareness and support the family.

"You matter too...what you’re doing is absolutely amazing. Getting your dad home is the number one priority..." — Savannah (44:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “All I came here with was just a zip code and literally just a dream.” — Brady (02:16)
• “There is no reason why a white collar offender should ever be in a medium security prison... That’s what camps were made for...” — Savannah (04:56)
• “His room that he stayed in was about as long as this couch.” — Brady, on foster care conditions (14:06)
• “There is absolutely no benefit to putting him back in jail.” — Brady (25:11)
• “A dollar to the federal government means more than a human life.” — Savannah (26:41)
• “The man who sold Michael the pill laced with fentanyl... was sentenced to one day in jail.” — Savannah (26:41)
• “I kind of lost time there. I don’t really know what happened.” — Brady (46:03)
• “You matter too... Someone's gotta fight for you eventually...what you’re doing is absolutely amazing.” — Savannah (44:07)

Important Timestamps

• Brady’s backstory and meeting Savannah: 01:42–03:02
• Father’s incarceration and context: 03:45–06:09
• Michael’s overdose & aftermath: 06:09–12:00
• Foster care experiences: 13:23–16:28
• Father regains custody & legal retaliation: 16:40–23:37
• Injustice in sentencing (dealer vs father): 27:00–29:00
• Effects on therapy & Michael’s progress: 33:44–39:23
• Personal toll on Brady: 40:33–46:03
• Future hopes: 47:26–48:55
• Savannah’s closing support: 49:01–49:46

Resources & Further Action

• Family's Story, Documents, and Ways to Help:
  usinjustice.com (57:19)

Tone and Style

The episode is profoundly personal, emotionally raw, and at times heartbreaking. Savannah leads with vulnerability, empathy, and a sense of righteous indignation about systemic injustices. Brady’s steadfastness, hope, and humility shine through despite the heavy subject matter, offering listeners a real and hopeful human connection.

Conclusion

This is not just an interview—it’s a call to action. Savannah and Brady’s conversation demonstrates the layered consequences of America’s criminal justice and social systems, the tireless resilience of families, and the power of using your voice, no matter your age or circumstances. For listeners, the episode is a moving reminder that behind every headline or statistic is a child, a family, and a fight for justice worth hearing.