In the aftermath of her parents reporting to prison, Savannah Chrisley is touching on the hole that has been left in the hearts of her family and the work she is doing to fill it.
In the Feb. 7 episode of her “Unlocked With Savannah Chrisley” podcast, the reality television personality spoke frankly about her fight to raise her younger brother Grayson, 16, and niece, Chloe, 10.
Last November, Savannah Chrisley’s parents — Todd Chrisley, 53, and Julie Chrisley, 50 — were sentenced to several years in prison after a court found them guilty of federal tax evasion in June 2022.
While Todd was sentenced to 12 years and 16 months of probation, Julie was given seven years and 16 months of probation.
“I had a conversation with my dad, and he said, ‘This is going to be the hardest but most rewarding thing you’ve ever done,’” she said, reflecting on her life in the aftermath of her parents’ absence from their house.
Speaking of her father’s advice, Savannah Chrisley said she's coming around to her father’s point: “I’m starting to see that.”
“It’s so crazy because I went from a place, sitting in the same chair of talking about how mad I was at god,” she explained. “Now I’m in a place of such peace.”
Speaking about Chloe — whom her parents had been raising since she was an infant due to their son Kyle’s struggles with substance abuse — and Grayson, Savannah Chrisley described her attempts to navigate being a stable figure while not abandoning her role as a sibling.
“We need to figure out healthier ways to cope with things and deal with things. Even if it’s just little things I’m trying to implement. Because I’m not their mom. I’m not their dad. I’m their sister,” she explained. “I want to stay in that role as sister, but it’s hard when you’re in the role of parent and discipline.”
“The other night, I had a full-on breakdown,” she went on to share. “I was trying to find Chloe proper clothes to go and visit my parents and find her hair stuff. I just sat down on the floor and started crying,” Savannah Chrisley added.
“I am not my mother,” she said. “How am I going to do this? I don’t feel that I am worthy or capable enough of doing the job she’s done for all her life.”
Savannah Chrisley noted that to help move her family forward, she will work towards accomplishing tangible goals.
“From here on out, every Sunday, we’re going to plan our meals for the week,” she said. “You guys tell me what you want for dinner, and we’ll get the groceries for the week, and you’ll know every night what you’re going to eat.”
She added that though things have been hard, she can't imagine what it's like for the younger children.
“Looking at them, I'm like, 'You know what, I know how I feel going through this trauma. I cannot imagine how two kids feel going through it,” she said, adding that her faith and the people in her life have helped her get through it. “It's like, you know what, there's something bigger than me here — there's a 10 year old, there's a 16 year old and we gotta get through this in a healthy manner.”
Savannah Chrisley has been open about her family's struggles with her parents being away while serving time. Still, so far, she's maintained that her parents have worked to keep up their spirits.
“So dad, he’s doing pretty good,” she said in a Jan. 31 episode of “Unlocked.” “There’s days that are tough. There are struggles. We talk to him. We email him... we get to see him. So for that, I am forever grateful because there are so many people that don’t get to see their loved ones that are in different facilities that are maybe in maximum security prisons that don’t get visitors. They have to say hello through a glass, a piece of glass. That’s not us.”
