Putting her life on pause? Savannah Chrisley opened up about feeling like she can’t live life to the fullest while her parents, Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley, serve their prison sentences.
“In my mind, I’m like, ‘I can’t move on with my life,’” Savannah, 25, told her soon-to-be-sister-in-law, Emmy Medders, during a Tuesday, December 27, episode of her “Unlocked” podcast. “Until I know that they’re going to be there, I can’t get married. I can’t have a kid.”
The Georgia native’s parents were charged with several counts of bank and wire fraud and tax evasion in August 2019. After a month-long trial, the Chrisley Knows Best stars were found guilty of fraud in June. Five months later, Todd, 53, and Julie, 49, were sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison, respectively. The married couple — who will report to prison next month — are also set to serve 16 months of probation.
With years of prison visits ahead of her, Savannah told Medders, 26 — who is engaged to Savannah’s brother Chase Chrisley — that she is “grieving the loss of parents that are still alive.”
Despite the emotional hardships, Medders advised Savannah not to put her life on hold while her parents serve their prison terms.
“You can’t just stop your life,” the personal assistant said. “And your parents, our parents, wouldn’t want us to do that, no matter what happens.”
Medders isn’t the only one who’s told the podcaster to keep her chin up; her father also reminded her that he’ll always be there for her, no matter where he is physically.
“Dad was like, ‘I may not be here in front of you, but I’m still alive. I’m still fighting. You don’t have to live a day without speaking to me,’” Savannah told Medders, recalling Todd’s words to her.
Although Savannah is trying to focus on the things she can control — like her beauty brand, Sassy, — she noted that she’s gotten criticism online for continuing to promote her business.
“I keep pushing forward because that’s always been my easy, go-to, where I don’t have to focus on anything else. So, business-wise, I’m going to push forward. I’m going to do my podcast, Sassy, I’m going to do all the things,” the former beauty pageant queen said. “But personally, I feel like there’s a level of guilt associated with moving on with my life and thinking of mom and dad not being here during certain life events.”
Savannah revealed after her parents’ sentencing last month that she now has custody of her brother Grayson, 16, and her half-brother Kyle’s daughter Chloe, 10. (In addition to Savannah, Chase, 26, and Grayson — his three children with Julie — Todd also shares daughter Lindsie, 33, and son Kyle, 31, with ex-wife Teresa Terry).
“[I’m] trying to navigate how you teach two younger children who aren’t fully developed yet and … get them to understand the circumstances,” Savannah confessed on her podcast last month about having custody of Grayson and Chloe. “That’s a really, really difficult thing.”