[Music] my name is Isaiah Matthews and for 54 years I was just a number a man locked away for a crime I didn't commit I was only 18 when my life was stolen from me I didn't have a family to stand by me no money to prove my innocence and no voice in a system that didn't care about the truth I was accused of a robbery I didn't even know about they said I matched the description that was all it took in that courtroom I begged them to believe me but they didn't instead they gave
me life in prison can you imagine at 18 years old I watched my freedom vanish I was thrown into a cell with nothing but my faith no one visited me no one called the world forgot I existed for 54 years I woke up every morning staring at Cold walls and iron bars I missed everything falling in love raising a family seeing the world every single thing I ever dreamed of was taken from me and still every night I prayed I prayed to God asking him why asking him to carry me through and he did even
in that Darkness I felt him with me but I didn't just pray i s sang I sang to him I sang to keep my soul alive that tiny cell became my stage and music became my lifeline I didn't have instruments or lessons just my voice and my faith I would sit in that cell and pour my heart out because singing reminded me that I was still human it reminded me that I still mattered even when the world forgot I was there and then 3 years ago my Miracle came a young lawyer took my case and
after 54 years the truth came out I was innocent I walked out of that prison with nothing but the clothes on my back and my faith in God after everything I still believed he had a purpose for me and tonight I know what that purpose is I'm here to tell you that no matter how dark life gets no matter how much is taken from you faith and music can save you they saved me tonight I'm not just singing for myself I'm singing for every person who has ever been forgotten for everyone who has lost hope
and for The God Who Never Let Me Go thank you for listening and now I'd like to sing the song that kept me alive all those years this is for him [Applause] [Music] locked away the world forgot my name left alone burdened by the shame ion bars and a heart that cried but I held on though hope had died oh the nights were cold the days were long but deep inside I found my song a voice that Rose where Shadows Fall a prayer to God who heard it all through the darkness you were my light
in the silence you held me tight when the world turned its back back you stayed by my side through the darkness you gave me [Music] life 50 years the walls became my home lost so much but I wasn't alone every tear you turn into a Hy a Melody of Faith from deep within oh the chains they broke the truth revealed a life restored a heart that healed you carried me through every storm in your Embrace I was reborn through the Darkness you were my light in the silence you H me tight when the world turned
its back you stayed by my side through the darkness you gave me life now I stand in the light of day free laugh but I still pray for the lost the broken and the bound sing with me let love [Music] sound through the darkness you were my light in the silence you held me tight when the world turned its back you stayed by my side through the darkness you gave me life through the darkness you gave me life my song is yours my heart is life forever faithful forever true through the darkness I found you
they to break me lock my soul away years turned to decades night replac the day but deep inside a spark refused to die I held on to my facei I reached for the sky I'm still here through the pain through the tears 50 years gone but my spirit perseveres you can change my hands but not my song feel it all my faith kept me strong the walls around me couldn't hide the truth a boy became a man but they stole my you in the silence I cried out out his name and he stayed by my
side through every Str I am still here through the pain through the tears 50 years gone but my spirit perseveres you can shame my head but not my S do it all my faith kept me strong now I stand in the light after years of the dark my voice carries hope my story leaves a mark what they took I'll never regain but my soul is free from the chase of pain Isaiah I don't even know where to begin first let me say this what you just did up there wasn't just a performance it was a
testament to the human Spirit you didn't just sing a song you poured out your soul and shared a piece of your life with us and for that I am deeply honored and humbled hearing your story it's heartbreaking to think that a young man like you barely 18 was stripped of his freedom his youth his dreams for something he didn't do it's Unthinkable it's unjust and yet here you are standing before us with such Grace with faith in your heart and with a voice that carries Decades of pain resilience and hope I don't think any of
us in this room can fully comprehend the strength it took to survive what you went through I want to say I'm sorry I'm sorry that the system failed you I'm sorry that you lost so much of your life but Isaiah what you've done here tonight it's a reminder to all of us that even in the darkest of times the human Spirit can shine brighter than we ever thought possible your voice is not just beautiful it's powerful it tells a story it connects and it reminds us all that no matter what we go through in life
we can still rise above you didn't let bitterness consume you you didn't let hatred define you instead you turned to music to Faith to Hope and that that's what makes you extraordinary I truly believe the world needed to hear you tonight and Isaiah I'll tell you this you're not just a singer you're an inspiration you're a reminder to every single person out there that it's never too late to dream to fight and to believe in something greater than ourselves thank you for sharing your gift with us thank you for being here and thank you for
showing us the true meaning of courage and Grace this stage this moment it belongs to you
