Fentanyl Addicted Ex Con-Troy 

Most intense 27 minutes I can remember. I realised that Troy telling his story highlights the yin and yang of life. He seems so strong and so devastatingly fragile in the same breath. Thank you for sharing your story.

Its an understatement to say I feel a lot of empathy for this guy. What a tragic way for things to have ruined his life.

One of the most sympathetic interviews I’ve seen. This poor man has been to hell and back.

This poor man Is carrying way too much on his shoulders.. He is so so hard on himself and this is the type of person that I think would benefit incredibly from rehab and therapy, and then play it forward.He himself says he’s ready now….He speaks beautifully and has such a soothing voice and I bet he could help a lot of people whether dealing with grief and or drugs .. my heart goes out to him and I hope he gets the help that he needs and deserves !

He is so soft spoken. Troy. Can’t blame you for what you did. You got Justice for your son.. hang in there. Hoping you find peace in your life.

"I would have to know what I know now" - The most incredibly honest and insightful answer. These interviews are so raw... I've never seen a better way to learn from other people's mistakes than listening to their story like this. Congrats on this channel

I love how he said: It’s when people start saying, “I would have done the same thing,” that I think it wasn’t such e great idea. Because when somebody dies, there’s no way you can ever bring them back. It’s like…he’s done what he did and he can’t change it now. But the idea that his crime might influence someone else to take a life is troubling. That shows he’s got a conscience.

This man is just a real human and so incredibly honest. Just bad bad decisions.

Mark has such an uncanny ability to bring out the most raw emotions and honesty. I never know what to expect from each interview and always leave a video more humble and empathetic than I started it. I can’t imagine what I’d do if someone ruined my family the way this drunk driver ruined his. He’s been through so much and has experienced so much loss, it truly breaks my heart 😪

It’s been a while since I’ve commented (work) but I still can’t get over how consistent, kind, and compassionate this man is. Mark treats everyone with respect no matter what walk of life they come! Thanks for giving the voiceless a voice mark! 💐

I hope that the dude gets clean and is able to reunite with his mom and daughters. Something positive to live for after such trauma.

He is right…people who say, they would have done the same thing, don’t know the consequences! You could lose the rest of your family, lose yourself, never get out of jail….imagine the pain your children would go through!

I'm heartbroken for Troy one horrific incident destroyed his whole life. I really hope he gets his life together. He just needs someone to give him a break! He is so soft spoken and honest.

How one event can change so many peoples lives. This was a very heartbreaking story. I wish you the best Troy.

I almost didn't believe his story but the more he went on the more he convinced me I was wrong, old and bitter is not something anyone would want for themselves.

This interview is by far the most educational and raw out of all of the videos I've seen in this channel. He deserves his family back in my opinion. He reacted emotionally just like most people would have, and then delt with the consequences and regret later. I feel for this man.

So much sadness in his eyes. I truly hope he can get into rehab and turn his life around.

These are the videos that change how we think. I am so sorry for your losses sir. I hope you find peace and forgive yourself. Thank you Mark.

This is one of my favorite interviews, thank you Mark.

You made a deal , Troy. Stop hurting yourself. Stay in the light. You rule Mark.

Troy I am so very sorry for the loss of your son. The loss of a child impacts the surviving family in many different ways for many years. I hope you can find peace and a good life.

"Two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.” - Mark Twain

This man deserves a second and third chance. Just one horrible accident took his whole life and family to the opposite direction. It's just sad

His story has absolutely stunned me. I truly hope he can find a way to forgive himself

"It's the last thing I think about at night. It's the first thing I think about when I wake up". More than 20 years later, he's still there. I hope this shows that when anger takes the control of you, it changes your life forever. This is such a sad story. So tough to hear. He made the bad choice, once, only once, and he's paying the price forever :'(

Hi Mark! This man is brutally honest & burdened in regret, tough call....

I love him. He has such a gentle demeanor. I pray he turns his life around. Some people are dealt some hard blows.

Man........... Life’s a trip....... A Korean dude told me something when I was a teen that sticks with me whenever I see a story about someone’s life relative to this gentleman..... Life is like a leaf floating downstream. Some leaves go down the stream smoothly on a flawless path until they one day just disintegrate. Some leaves get hung up on a rock for awhile eventually the water currents flow ideally to free up the leaf and the leaf continues down the stream.... Some leaves however get caught in a violent current thwarted downward and are trapped under a boulder under the current never to be released to continue their path downstream..... Sending this brother good thoughts and vibes... Hoping you find yourself gently flowing down the stream bro..... Thank you for your kindness and actions Mark...

I have a picture in a frame that says “ Loose lips sinks ships”. So true, especially living on a little island. Breaks my heart how sad he is and I feel he is genuinely remorseful.

Please Troy, forgive yourself. I guess your suffering was enough already. Love to you, make the rest of your life treating you well, please!

Troy you did what anyone would do. Forgive yourself. It’s time to live a good life

His "an eye for an eye" interaction with the drunk driver that killed his son and destroyed his family may have stopped the drunk driver from destroying more lives. Always interesting, thanks!

Mark- I owe you a great deal of gratitude for these videos. They have helped me in ways you wouldn’t understand. Thank you

As an ex addict/addict who has worked in rehabs/prisons this is the type of guy that could be helped, not with rehab but get him secure stable with a prescription a guitar and away from the streets he could prosper and even look at rehab in the future once hes more stable in his day to day. I dont believe just sending people to rehab from the chaos works, they need to show you they want it by getting stable. GL Troy im a counselor free to you if u need to talk. (My dogs keep me stable find your version of dogs get a plant if its alive in a years time get a pet)

SWU THE BEST RU-vid CHANNEL OUT HERE, REAL PPL, REAL LIFE, REAL STORIES!!! We love you mark!!! Keep it up buddy

This is incredibly heartbreaking 💔 😢 I feel so badly for this guy, probably more than anyone I've seen interviewed. He's not a criminal! I'd do exactly the same thing, although like Mark said, "Loose lips sink ships." You can't tell one person. Troy is a gentle soul suffering PTSD. I sure wish him all the best. He needs a huge, long hug. Stay strong, Troy, and I hope you find the happiness you deserve. ❤ Hugs from Canada. 🇨🇦 🤗

Good Morning from 6:00am Brooklyn to whatever it is wherever you are my SWU fam.

Truly heartbreaking. I pray he finds peace. Thank you, Mark!

Bless you Troy, Sorry for your loss. Keep your head up. Seem like a real nice guy with good intentions.

I hope he pulls it together. He could help others by mentoring

I appreciate your work Mark and am grateful to Tony (and the other brave people who are willing to share their life stories with us). This body of work helps create understanding for those who suffer what many cannot imagine surviving. In addition to the compassion which extends from this work, I believe a certain type of courage is displayed ... and courage is contagious. ~ Blessings to you and those who share their life experiences with us 🙏🏻🦁👑

My heart goes out to you Troy, you’re a good man who has been put into some horrible situations. May God bless you brother !

Worthwhile interview. I hope he finds peace, he deserves peace.

This channel keeps on giving! Much Love to you Mark and SWU Fam💜

I deleted my other comment but being in prison in Cali is no joke, respect this guy for making it through that, for real.

Troy you are so soft spoken. It is never too late my fellow human. ❤ Feels like you have a lot of insight to offer. Seems like you would make an excellent support worker. I wish you the best as you move forward in this life as we all must do everyday regardless of the circumstances we find laid out on our paths.

Troy, I wish I had the power to ease your pain. I understand how you were driven by loss. I know that, in your place, I would have had the same feelings. It's time you begin to forgive yourself. You know what you did was wrong and you paid the price. No need for you to continue to choose to live in hell. You're not doing anyone any good by punishing yourself. You can use what you've been through to help someone make better choices if you're free from the prison you choose to live in. You could help stop someone from destroying their life. Prayers, a hug and love from this Michigan grandma.🙏🤗❤️

The right set of circumstances could put many of us in similar shoes.

Guitar 'Music' lessons, and your story, valuable gifts to so many.

Troy your story will stay with me…I wish your life will take a turn and you will be able to find peace and happy place for yourself. You truly deserve it ❤️

Troy . I hope you read this . I'm 58 next month and did state time back in the late 80s. I should have never survived the 80s but I did. Thanks to my sobriety! Please get into rehab soon.!!! We are similar yet very different . I too had a great childhood and great parents and siblings. But once my mom died in 1984 it obliterated the family . Too this day they whole family hasn't even had one Thanksgiving. I don't want to go on and on . I wish you the best . Your spirit and gentleness shines through the darkness.

The most helpful stories are brutally honest stories without lying to make you seem noble just raw truth. This guy is exactly what I mean

This guy single handedly made me agree with his previous actions and then made me realize he was wrong right a long side him. It’s so easy to think yea it’s the right thing but the law says another way, and I understand why but I never agreed. This made me agree. Great story!

Pain has humbled this man in the past. Only hope will see him through in the future. Praying for peace & recovery for you & your family, Troy. You deserve it. Let yourself find it.

So sorry for your pain and loss , and brokenness

While I'm empathetic to this man's story, he's wrong about the child safety seats. Those were absolutely required well before 1991. We couldn't take our first baby home until hospital staff confirmed that we had a correctly installed child safety seat in the back seat of our car in 1987. Holding a baby while riding in a car is not only extremely dangerous, but against the law. The family's negligence may have contributed to the drunk driver getting only probation.

I think he looks pretty damn good for a 54 year old that’s lived such a hard life and is addicted to fentanyl. A lot of drug addicts look 20 years older than their actual age.

I am so sorry brother 😢 I lost my son in 2008 I know how bad that hurts. I'm praying for you 🙏

One of my favorites interviews you’ve done

very real, one of your best.

Your interview skills are amazing…best channel on RU-vid

Good morning SWU much love and respect to you from Louisiana ❤️

Poor man, living with so much pain. Easier said than done, but don´t live in the past. You can never change the past. Live in the present and look to the future. I´ve never wanted the best for anyone more than him on this channel. Keep God on your side, Troy.

I had to pause this one to keep from starting to cry. I would have done the same thing. And I'm not saying that's a good thing either. im saying that a lot of people would fall into this life by accident. I love this guy and I'd gladly take a guitar lesson from him

Troy is a good man. By committing this crime, he has shattered his life and that of his family. He has paid enough and now he deserves only the best. I hope that his daughter will talk to him again and that he will be surrounded by those he loves. Cheer up Troy!

What a tragic story. This is a prime example of how other peoples actions can fundamentally change your life. If that drunk driver doesn’t drink and drive that day, then we don’t have this interview. This man seems extremely self aware. It’s understandable to struggle with forgiving the driver when he never showed remorse. I find it hard to believe that any significant amount of people would do the same thing he did. Most lack the courage of their convictions. I pray this man finds peace.

Great interview. Shows how delicate life can be and how quickly it can all be flipped upside down. It happens to good people and we walk on by, ignoring these people on the streets staring down at our designer phone.

I hope he can reuniré with his family and get out of this situation. He seems really good hearted, wish him the best

Absolutely heart wrenching. The finality, the inability to know that Troy speaks of. I have so much empathy for this man and his family. Mark, thank you for giving a voice to heart ache, tragedy, souls that have become lost, the addicted etc. I have to believe that what you do is a piece and part of the solution. It enables somebody the nudge or internal voice they need to make a different choice before events seal a worse fate or a fateful moment which cannot be undone. Watching this channel has re-awakened some personal empathy within me that had become obscured. I am grateful for this.

Whenever I see people on the street, homeless, I think of how difficult it must be to be alone. I am praying for Gods mercy and grace to be with Troy. 💗

The love he has for his mom is impressing . He doesn’t blame her at all for the accident or telling on him , he’s actually sorry for the stress he induced in her .

I hope the best for this man he has been beaten down with life he can change and he needs to forgive his self first then all else will fall in place. Good luck to him

Thank you for sharing and being strong enough to tell us all the truth Troy💪

Still crying everytime i watching this... So sad even i watched it couple of times

I have to donate to this channel. It has taught me so much. I love learning about others and their lives. Thank you for your work Mark. ❤️

what a lovely soft spoken guy.

Very sad and tragic story. I hope he can find peace. God bless.

Heartbreaking story.

I’m amazed how together most of these guys are. I couldn’t conversation quite so well. I’ve been alone for so long I’ve stopped needing to chat

One of the most interesting ones yet. Mark your videos get better and better

The pain & remorse radiates through this man's soul..I pray some kind of healing & peace for him & all involved🤎

Man! These interviews are so deep and raw. Just when you think that your own story was traumatic you hear these interviews. Just wow! Mark I'm absolutely without words. You have done an amazing job. You genuinely care and we all need to hear their voices.

This man is so soft spoken. Life can sure give you a raw deal. So sorry.

I gave birth to my son in 1989. We bought him an infant car seat...the type that can be removed from the base and you carry your baby in the seating portion...has the handle over the baby (looks like a basket handle) which makes going in and out of locations easy. As he grew, we purchased toddler seats that fit his height and weight. He eventually went into a child's booster seat. ALL of these child safety seats tethered to the car seat (strong belts and not easy to remove!). So Troy stating (timestamp 3:30) that back in 1991 that is was a "common thing" for people to sit with their babies in their laps in cars...I'm sorry, this is *not* true. I do not know anyone that did this in 1989 nor 1991 for that matter. My sister and I grew up in the 60s...so Yes, mothers did that back then, and maybe into the 70s (I wasn't paying attention), but child safety laws regarding secure seating in cars has always been evolving. Child safety seats were law BEFORE I had my baby. There is ample information on the internet regarding the timeline of how & when child safety seats became law. Unfortunately and IMHO, there was a lack of funds for Troy and his wife to buy a child's car seat. This also tells me that information like this would hurt their court case.. I am not saying a drunk driver is correct. I personally despise alcoholism and all the devastation that results from it. I'm guessing that the (paid for) defense attorney proved negligence with Troy and his wife. Proof of insurance, speeding, child safety...all gets exposed in cases like this. I'd have to read the court records to be sure, which are public. But as a new mother during that same time period...parts of the story are omitted or vague at best. A baby passed, God Bless him, RIP. No matter how it happened, it is very sad and I am so sorry for Troy's loss. He seems very nice and deals with regrets. I send my best wishes.

Need to interview him again please

This story is so tragic, he seems so genuine and thoughtful. I love SWU for showcasing people like him that are too often dismissed out of hand. I hope he finds solace

I’m mad at his uncle for snitching. Hope his girls will talk to him again

Wow, this is one of your best interviews. It’s really heartbreaking. Troy, I wish you the best.

I'd love to see a follow up if he is able to get into rehab. Peace to him.

I think one of your opening questions for every interview needs to be age. Helps to give context to the whole story

I haven't watched any of these interesting interviews for a while but when I saw the kind eyes of Troy I was drawn in. I wish him all the best and that his light will find the right place to shine! You are a sensitive and beautiful human being with all your faults and flaws.

Thank you so much Troy and Mark for this touching life story and for the great lesson about how we change ours and others people lives by our choices. Be blessed

I used to be this man's barber in Fontana I never thought I'd see him on here

We never know what people are going through.

Of all the tragic stories on SWU, this one hit me the hardest. I hope you can turn it around Troy and reconnect with your family.

Anger comes from the same place as sadness. Giving yourself time to understand your feelings in that moment and understanding that your actions affect more than just yourself is what maturity is all about.

One of you’re best interviews stay strong Troy ! I have 16 months clean from fentanyl you can do this !

The penalty for drunk driving is too low. If the system punished that driver accordingly he would’ve never had the need to take justice into his own hands.

You can really feel the desolation Troy lives through. I hope his family sees this and can witness the suffering, remorse, and humanity he displays.

Beautiful interview! Thank you Troy and SWU