STRAIGHT
STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART OF EAST TENNESSEE SAYS SEVARL.
THIS >> IS A STORY OF
REDEMPTION.
MATTHEW STRICKLAND WAS LED DOWN
A DARK PATH FROM AN ABUSIVE
HOUSEHOLD.
NOW HE'S MAKING THE MOST OF HIS
SECOND CHANCE.
DAVID CHILHOWEE HAS HIS STORY
>>.
I'M WALTER MATTHEW VIRUAL.
I'M THIRTY EIGHT YEARS OLD BORN
FEBRUARY 11TH THREE PROUDLY IN
HARRIMAN, TENNESSEE.
BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN
EAST TENNESSEE AS A YOUNGER MAN
I DIDN'T HAVE VERY GOOD
INFLUENCES.
I WAS MORE ON THE PHONE ON MY
FATHER'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY AND
THEY WERE MORE INTO LIKE THE
NOT SO GOOD LIFESTYLE.
MY OWN BIOLOGICAL FATHER ABUSED
OPIATES AND AND JUST TURNED ME
ON TO HIM AS A YOUNG MAN.
LOCKETT WAS NORMAL AND I NEVER
REALLY KNEW ANY DIFFERENT WHAT
LED ME TO THE STRONGER THINGS
STREET DRUGS, HEROIN I
COMMITTED CRIMES IN THE NAME OF
IT I WOULD STEAL DO WHATEVER I
HAD TO DO.
I WOULD HURT WHOEVER NO ONE
MATTER I WAS ON THE RUN FOR A
YEAR SO I WAS LOOKING OVER MY
SHOULDER FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE
IT EVER CAME TO FRUITION WHERE
THEY ACTUALLY GOT ME AND I WAS
ALMOST BEGGING TO BE CAUGHT >>
.
STRICKLAND SERVED TIME AT THE
ANDERSON KNOX AND RONCA
DETENTION CENTERS.
IT WAS AT THIS FACILITY IN
KINGSTON WHERE HIS LIFE CHANGED
THE >> ROANE COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM
HAS PROGRAMS, FAITH BASED
PROGRAMS, WORK RELATED PROGRAMS
TO ACTUALLY HELP REHABILITATE
INMATES INSTEAD OF JUST
INCARCERATE THEM.
THEY MOVED ME TO THE WORKERS
PART AND FROM THERE I JUST
WORKED MY WAY INTO THE PROGRAMS
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID AT FIRST IT
WAS IT WAS JUST A WAY TO GET
OUT OF THE POD AND NOT BE
LOCKED DOWN FOR TWENTY THREE
HOURS A DAY.
I WAS IN A INSIDEOUT DAD'S
CLASS >>.
I CANNOT REMEMBER >> THE NAME
OF THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS
TEACHING THE CLASS THAT DAY BUT
HE HAD SAID SOMETHING THAT JUST
STRUCK ME LIKE JUST THROUGH MY
CORE AND I COULD NOT HOLD IT
BACK ANYMORE LIKE BASICALLY
LIKE WHAT ARE YOU WAITING ON?
GOD HAS BEEN WAITING ON YOU
THIS WHOLE TIME YOU LIKE I
DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS I GOT
DOWN ON MY KNEES IN FRONT OF
PROBABLY 20 MAN I FELT LIKE
THIS EXTREME WEIGHT LIFTED OFF
OF ME IN A CLEANSING FEELING
ALMOST ALMOST LIKE GETTING HIT
WITH COLD WATER THAT DOESN'T
SHOCK YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT I
MEAN?
LIKE IT JUST HIT ME ALL OVER
AND I JUST IT WAS JUST ROCK
MADE TWENTY FIRST TWENTY
SEVENTEEN ACCEPTED THE LORD AND
BASICALLY MY LIFE HASN'T ON
ANYTHING BUT GETTING BETTER
SINCE THEN STRICKLIN >> BECAME
AN EMPLOYEE OF ROWAN COUNTY
PARKS AND RECREATION A FEW
WEEKS AGO >> HE HEARD A TRIAL
FOR THE BARE KNUCKLE FIGHTING
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING PROMOTION A
BAND OF FIGHTING STRICKLAND
GAVE IT A SHOT SO I SENT
PAPERWORK AND THEY THEY
RESPONDED IN KIND AND SAID
YOU'RE WELCOME.
YOU'RE INVITED TO COME DOWN,
TRY OUT.
WE'LL SEE WHAT YOU GOT.
YOU GOT ONE HUNDRED SOMETHING
OTHER GUYS THAT ARE TRYING TO
GET THIS SPOT THAT >> I'M
TRYING TO GET I CAN'T ALLOW
THAT TO HAPPEN.
I GOT TO GET IT.
HE DID GET IT.
STRICKLAND IMPRESSED THE
SCOUTS.
HE SIGNED A THREE FIGHT DEAL
WITH BARE KNUCKLE MANAGEMENT
JUST TWO DAYS AFTER THE TRYOUT
.
A >> PROFESSIONAL FIGHTER WAS
ALREADY KNOCKED OUT.
HIS TOUGHEST OPPONENT I SAID
GOD IS GOOD.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED IMMENSELY
SINCE THEN.
IS THERE >> ANYTHING ELSE YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THAT YOU
FEEL LIKE NEEDS TO BE PART OF
THE STORY?
YEAH, I DO.
I HAVE A STRAINED RELATIONSHIP
WITH MY MY TWO DAUGHTERS, MY
ULTIMATE GOAL IN MY LIFE IS NOT
TO BE A SUCCESSFUL FIGHTER IS
NOT TO BE A CHAMPION, IS NOT TO
BE ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
IT'S TO BE A FATHER AND TO BE A
GOOD ROLE MODEL.
STRICKLAND'S >>