Our Mission and Purpose

My Journey: From Devastation to Renewal

I'm Verus Phoenix, and my world was turned upside down with a knock on the door that changed everything. I was thrust into a reality I never anticipated—an arrest, a legal battle, and a deeply uncertain future. For months, I lived in the shadow of fear and anxiety, wondering how my life, my family, and my career would survive this ordeal.

When the charges were brought forward, I chose to fully cooperate with the authorities, hoping that transparency and honesty would help me navigate what felt like an impossible situation. Throughout the process, my family and I faced countless challenges—from the involvement of Children's Services and child protection investigations to the constant pressure of keeping our family together. My wife was my strongest ally, offering unwavering support. Together, we endured over a year of investigations, assessments, and legal hurdles.

However, the sentencing day marked a devastating turn. Despite my legal team's optimism, I was handed a custodial sentence. In an instant, I was taken away without the chance to properly say goodbye to my wife or prepare for what lay ahead. I entered prison feeling unprepared, both emotionally and practically, and the weight of my absence fell heavily on my wife. As she struggled to keep her job, care for our daughter and my aging parents, the pressure mounted, and just before my release, I faced a heartbreaking loss—my father passed away, and shortly after, my wife decided she could no longer continue with me.

When I returned home after six months in prison, it was not to the life I had known. My daughter was no longer in my daily life, and the bustling home I had once known was quiet, shared now only with my elderly mother. It was the most profound sense of loss I had ever experienced.

Choosing Resilience

But amidst that heartbreak, I made a choice: to rebuild. Life after these events may never be the same, but that doesn't mean it cannot be fulfilling or meaningful. I learned that even after experiencing unimaginable loss and profound change, it is possible to rise again.

My life is proof that the story doesn't end at "The Knock." Yes, there are challenges—practical, emotional, and social—but I've found ways to overcome them. Today, I live a life that, while different from before, is filled with purpose. I've rebuilt my career, I've forged new connections, and I've found peace in knowing that even the darkest of moments do not define the entirety of our lives.

There Is Life After "The Knock"

What I want you to know, more than anything, is that you can move forward too. It may feel impossible right now, but with the right guidance, support, and mindset, you can reclaim your life. The legal system can be overwhelming, but it does not have to control your future. You are more than your worst moment, and you are capable of building a future where hope, stability, and peace are possible.

Through theknock.help, I'm here to help you find that path forward. I know firsthand how isolating this experience can be, but I also know the strength it takes to rebuild—and that you have the strength within you. Together, we can navigate the complexities of the justice system, challenge the obstacles that stand in your way, and take steps toward living a life that, while changed, can still be deeply fulfilling.

The Knock may change your life, but it does not have to define it. You are not alone. There is a way forward, and I'm here to help you find it.

- Verus Phoenix, Founder of The Knock