Grayson Chrisley Says Parents’ Prison Sentence Is ‘Worse Than Them Dying’

Grayson Chrisley seems to be having a difficult time since his parents Todd and Julie Chrisley began serving their collective 19 years in prison on charges of bank fraud and tax evasion. The 17-year-old Chrisley Knows Best star was candid while appearing on older sister and legal guardian Savannah Chrisley’s Unlocked podcast, saying just how hard it’s been having his parents behind bars. 

“To me, it’s worse than them dying,” he told 25-year-old Savannah. “Because they’re here, but they’re not here. So it’s just time that’s being wasted. I’m saying, like, if they died, there’s no possibility of you getting any more time with them. So it’s over.” Savannah pointed out that while it does feel like there’s very little “closure” in their situation, it’s better that they can visit and hug their parents. 

Splitting time between visiting dad Todd, who is serving 12 years at Florida’s Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, and mom Julie, who is serving 7 years at Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, has been challenging as well. “I struggle going back to back weeks because I’m in that mood… and then I go and start it all over again,” Grayson said. “You never really get out of it,” he continued, adding that “some days or weeks are harder than others.”

Savannah said she personally feels “renewed” after going to see her parents, to which Grayson clarified, “I do, but I also don’t at the same time.” As a teenager, it’s also difficult having to spend all his weekends traveling. “I think that’s a hard balance that we have yet to find,” Savannah agreed. “But then it’s also hard because there’s some weekends you don’t want to go, but then the hard part is when you don’t go, our schedules don’t align. And then you don’t see one of them for three or four weeks and then you’re struggling because you haven’t seen him for that long.”

“It’s like, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” Grayson said, with Savannah adding, “Which is tough because no one should ever be put in that position.” The teen continued, “It’s also hard because [Todd and Julie] tell you you gotta live your life. ‘You’re 17 years old. You can’t spend every weekend going.’ And then when you don’t go, you still feel bad even though they said that – even though you know they understand.”

“For me, the hard part is I know how much they’ve sacrificed for us. So why can’t we sacrifice now for them?” Savannah agreed. Asked how to avoid becoming bitter about the current situation, Grayson answered, “I don’t know if it’s possible. I don’t think it is… There is always going to be a part of you that is bitter. …There’s no way around it. It’s gonna suck for as long as they’re there.”