Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 7 - Jets, Bets and Debts - full transcript

FOR MICHELLE BROOME
AND HER HANDSOME PILOT, TOM,

THE SKY WAS THE LIMIT.

WE GOT TO TRAVEL EVERYWHERE. WE
DIDN'T HAVE A CARE IN THE WORLD.

TOM WAS THE MALE VERSION
OF MICHELLE IN SOME WAYS.

THEY HAD A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER.

HE WAS JUST
SO FULL OF ADVENTURE.

BUT TOM'S APPETITE FOR
ADVENTURE TOOK A DARK TURN...

HE WAS WORKING
FOR A MEXICAN GANGSTER.

...AND EVERYTHING
MICHELLE THOUGHT SHE KNEW

ABOUT HER DASHING HUSBAND
WOULD CRASH AND BURN.

THERE WAS NO MONEY.
IT WAS GONE.



HE SEEMED LIKE HE WAS POSSESSED.

THERE WERE TIMES HE'D BE SITTING
ON THE COUCH, TWITCHING.

HE WAS A TOTAL STRANGER TO ME.
HE WAS NOT THE MAN I MARRIED.

WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE
AND MARRIAGE,

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS
AS THEY SEEM.

THEY SAY A GIRL NEVER FORGETS
HER FIRST KISS.

FOR MICHELLE BROOME, THE MOMENT
CAME WHEN SHE WAS JUST 14.

WHEN I FIRST MET TOM,

WE WERE AT
A CHURCH YOUTH-GROUP RETREAT,

AND WE WERE AROUND THE FIRE,

AND HE JUST KIND OF LEANED OVER
AND PLANTED A BIG ONE

RIGHT ON THE MOUTH.

IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 1982,

AND 17-YEAR-OLD TOM BROOME
WAS THE CATCH



OF HIS SMALL JACKSONVILLE BEACH,
FLORIDA, TOWN.

HE WAS JUST RUNNING WITH
A POPULAR CROWD, VERY ATHLETIC.

EVERYBODY KNEW WHO HE WAS,
AND HE GOT ALONG WITH EVERYBODY.

BUT AS POPULAR AS HE WAS,

TOM ALSO HAD A BIT
OF A DARK STREAK.

HE HAD HAD
A COUPLE OF RUN-INS WITH POLICE,

JUST DOING STUPID,
PRANKISH THINGS...

NOTHING SUPER SERIOUS.

I WAS KIND OF IN AWE OF HIM,

'CAUSE HE WAS VERY POPULAR,
VERY CUTE.

I WAS INCREDIBLY AWKWARD,
BIG GLASSES.

AFTER THE KISS,
I BARELY EXISTED IN HIS WORLD.

I WOULD KIND OF ADMIRE HIM
FROM AFAR

AND JUST GO ON MY NERDY WAY.

AND THAT WAS THE END
OF MICHELLE'S TEENAGE CRUSH...

UNTIL ONE DAY
IN THE FALL OF 1991.

I HAD JUST GRADUATED
FROM COLLEGE,

AND TOM WAS GRADUATING
FROM FLIGHT SCHOOL.

WE RAN INTO EACH OTHER
AT A MUTUAL FRIEND'S WEDDING,

AND JUST SPARKS FLEW.

I REMEMBER BEING REALLY
IMPRESSED TALKING TO HIM.

I THOUGHT, "WOW.

"YOU KNOW, HERE'S SOMEBODY
WHO CAME FROM A TOUGH SITUATION,

AND THEY'RE MAKING IT WORK."

MICHELLE AND TOM
QUICKLY BECAME AN ITEM.

HE AND MICHELLE CLICKED.

I REMEMBER THINKING
THAT THIS COULD BE THE ONE.

THE GLITCH WAS THAT
A COUPLE MONTHS FROM THAT TIME,

I HAD ALREADY DECIDED
THAT I WAS MOVING TO L.A.

TO PURSUE MY CAREER
AS A PERFORMER,

AND I TOLD HIM THAT AFTER LIKE
THE THIRD OR FOURTH DATE,

AND HE IMMEDIATELY SAID,
"WELL, SO AM I, THEN."

THE NEXT SPRING,

TOM AND MICHELLE HEADED WEST
TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS.

MICHELLE HAD SUCCESS SINGING
WITH SEVERAL LOCAL BANDS,

WHILE TOM EASILY LANDED A JOB
AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

TWO YEARS LATER,

TOM AND MICHELLE
KNEW THEY WERE MEANT TO BE.

AND IN APRIL 1994, THEY TIED
THE KNOT BACK HOME IN FLORIDA.

I WAS EXCITED THAT MICHELLE
HAD FOUND HER GUY

AND THAT SHE WOULD
BE WITH HIM FOREVER.

OUR WEDDING WAS HUGE.

WE HAD A BIG RECEPTION
WITH A KILLER BAND,

AND IT WAS JUST A GIANT PARTY.

WE COULDN'T GET PEOPLE TO LEAVE.

BACK IN CALIFORNIA,

THE NEWLYWEDS QUICKLY EMBARKED

ON WHAT SEEMED LIKE
AN ENDLESS HONEYMOON.

WE HAD VARIOUS PLANES
OF HIS CLIENTS

AT OUR DISPOSAL
A LOT.

WE WENT TO FIJI,
TO A PRIVATE ISLAND.

WE WENT DEEP-SEA FISHING
IN ALASKA.

IT WAS A REALLY,
REALLY FUN TIME IN OUR MARRIAGE.

BUT THE HONEYMOON WOULDN'T LAST.

NEARLY 10 YEARS LATER,

THE COUPLE'S
JET-SETTING LIFESTYLE

WOULD TAKE A TWISTED TURN.

BY THE SPRING OF 2005,
MICHELLE WAS A MOTHER OF TWO,

AND HER GLOBETROTTING DAYS
WERE MOSTLY BEHIND HER.

BUT TOM WAS OFTEN AWAY
ON BUSINESS,

SO MICHELLE
KEPT HER CELLPHONE HANDY,

AND ONE DAY SHE GOT A CALL

THAT WOULD
CHANGE HER LIFE FOREVER.

IT WAS MARCH 3, 2005.

I WAS AT THE CAR-REPAIR SHOP,
AND I GOT A PHONE CALL.

I RECOGNIZED THE AREA CODE
AS SOMEWHERE IN GEORGIA.

AT FIRST,

MICHELLE THOUGHT THE CALL
WAS FROM HER HUSBAND,

WHO WAS FLYING TO ATLANTA
THAT DAY.

BUT THE VOICE ON THE OTHER END
BELONGED TO A DISTRICT ATTORNEY,

AND HE HAD SHOCKING NEWS.

HE WANTED ME TO KNOW

THAT THEY HAD HAD MY FAMILY
IN SURVEILLANCE

FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I WAS COMPLETELY CONFUSED.

I SAID, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

HE SAID, "YOU NEED TO BE
EXTREMELY CAREFUL,

"AND YOU NEED TO DO
WHATEVER YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO DO

TO DISAPPEAR,"

AND HE HUNG UP.

THE INSTRUCTIONS
WERE AS PERPLEXING

AS THEY WERE TERRIFYING.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.

BUT AS MORE INFORMATION CAME IN,

MICHELLE SOON FOUND HERSELF
ON THE RUN.

THEY WERE TELLING ME THAT HE WAS
WORKING FOR THE MEXICAN MAFIA.

IT SEEMED HER HUSBAND

HAD BEEN PLAYING
A VERY DANGEROUS GAME.

HE WAS A PRIVATE PILOT,

BUT NOBODY KNEW
WHAT HE WAS DOING HALF THE TIME.

IN THE SPRING OF 1996,

10 YEARS BEFORE THE PHONE CALL
THAT WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE,

MICHELLE BROOME
AND HER HANDSOME HUSBAND, TOM,

HAD THE WORLD AT THEIR FEET.

WE WERE VERY CLOSE.
WE WERE IN LOVE.

BUT ONE AFTERNOON
TWO YEARS INTO HER MARRIAGE,

MICHELLE CAME ACROSS
A DISTURBING SIGN

THAT THINGS
WEREN'T ENTIRELY PERFECT.

I WAS GOING THROUGH SOME PAPERS,

AND I CAME ACROSS A BILL
FOR AN ATTORNEY,

AND IT WAS A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL
BILL... THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

SO I CALLED THE NUMBER
ON THE BILL.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE AN ATTORNEY

THAT DIRECTLY DEALS WITH PEOPLE
WHO HAVE GOTTEN D.U.I.s.

MICHELLE WAS STUNNED.

TOM HAD NEVER MENTIONED
A D.U.I.,

BUT HE HAD OBVIOUSLY GOTTEN ONE
A MONTH BEFORE.

HE CAME HOME, AND I JUST HELD
THE BILL OUT TO HIM,

AND I SAID, "WHAT IS THIS?"

AND HE WAS LIKE,
"I'VE BEEN MEANING TO TELL YOU.

"I GOT A D.U.I.,
AND I'M GETTING OUT OF IT.

THIS GUY'S GONNA
TAKE CARE OF IT FOR ME."

I WAS FURIOUS.
I WAS REALLY UPSET.

STILL, IT WAS JUST ONE MISTAKE.

MICHELLE DECIDED
TO LET THE INCIDENT GO.

FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS,
LIFE CARRIED ON AS USUAL,

AND BY THE WINTER OF 2001,

MICHELLE AND TOM REALIZED
THEY WERE READY

FOR THEIR NEXT ADVENTURE...
PARENTHOOD.

I'M ENTERING MY 30s.
THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK IS TICKING.

SO WE DECIDED, YOU KNOW,
TO GIVE IT A SHOT,

AND I GOT PREGNANT
ALMOST RIGHT AWAY.

TOM WAS JUST OVER THE MOON...
SO, SO HAPPY.

TO PREPARE FOR THE BABY,

MICHELLE TOOK A STEADY JOB
AT A RECORD LABEL,

AND TOM BEGAN FLYING FOR SEVERAL
HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS.

THE JOB MEANT TOM
WAS OFTEN GONE,

BUT HE WAS ALSO PULLING IN
SIX FIGURES.

WE WERE BOTH VERY
EXCITED ABOUT OUR LIVES

AND CAREERS AND THE BABY COMING.

BUT AS
MICHELLE'S PREGNANCY WORE ON,

SHE QUICKLY REALIZED

THAT TOM HAD NO INTENTION
OF SLOWING DOWN.

HE WAS STILL TAKING
OFF AND TAKING HIS SURF TRIPS

AND HIS GOLF TRIPS
AND HIS SKIING TRIPS,

IN ADDITION TO THE TRIPS
THAT HE WAS DOING FOR HIS JOB.

HE WOULD GET HOME FROM TRIPS,
COME BACK, SPEND AN HOUR,

AND THEN OFF HE WOULD GO TO BE
WITH HIS MATES, OFF TO THE BAR.

MICHELLE SOON NOTICED
THAT TOM WAS DRINKING HEAVILY.

AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,

HE SEEMED TO BE DEVELOPING
ANOTHER BAD HABIT.

I OVERHEARD HIM ON THE PHONE,

AND HE THOUGHT
THAT NOBODY COULD HEAR HIM.

BUT HE WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY
ABOUT PLACING A BET ON TEAMS

THAT I HAD NEVER
HEARD OF BEFORE.

I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT.

I WAS LIKE, "WELL, THEN,
WHO WERE YOU BETTING WITH?"

"IT WAS, YOU KNOW,
MY BUDDY'S BOOKIE."

I'M LIKE, "BOOKIE?"

CONCERNED,

MICHELLE ASKED TOM
TO CUT BACK ON THE GAMBLING,

AND TOM PROMISED
HE WOULD REIN IT IN.

IN JANUARY 2002,
AFTER THE BIRTH OF THEIR SON,

HE KEPT HIS WORD.

HE WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY
IN LOVE WITH OUR SON,

AND I BELIEVED AT THAT TIME THAT

"OKAY, YOU KNOW, OUR LIVES
HAVE CHANGED, AND HE GETS IT."

AND HE WAS HOME MORE,
THE FIRST MONTH OR TWO.

BUT WHEN THEIR SON
WAS JUST 3 MONTHS OLD,

THINGS TOOK A TURN
FOR THE WORSE.

TOM WAS IN MEXICO
ON A BUSINESS TRIP,

AND HE SOMETIMES
HAD TROUBLE GETTING THROUGH

THE PHONE CONNECTIONS TO CHECK
HIS VOICEMAIL FROM THERE.

SO HE CALLED ME AT ONE POINT
AND SAID,

"I CAN'T GET MY VOICEMAIL."

TOM ASKED MICHELLE
TO CHECK HIS MESSAGES,

AND WHEN SHE DID,

SHE HEARD SOMETHING
COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED.

THERE WAS A MESSAGE
FROM A WOMAN.

SHE WAS, "HEY, SWEETIE,
I'M SO SORRY I MISSED YOU.

"CALL ME WHENEVER YOU CAN,

AND WE'LL ARRANGE
TO SEE EACH OTHER."

SO I CALLED TOM, AND I SAID,
"WHO IS THIS WOMAN?"

I SAID HER NAME,
AND THERE WAS DEAD SILENCE.

TOM REFUSED TO DISCUSS
THE MATTER OVER THE PHONE.

BUT THE NEXT DAY,
HE CAME HOME AND CAME CLEAN.

HE WAS WHITE
WHEN HE WALKED IN THE DOOR,

AND HE SAID THAT HE'D
ONLY SEEN HER A COUPLE OF TIMES,

AND SHE WAS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT,

AND THEY WOULD
OCCASIONALLY CONNECT

IF THEY WERE IN THE SAME CITY.

I JUST LOOKED AT HIM,
AND I THOUGHT,

"MY... WHAT ARE YOU...

"I HAD NO IDEA
YOU WERE EVEN CAPABLE OF THIS.

I WOULD NEVER DO THIS."

MICHELLE WAS DEVASTATED,

BUT SHE WASN'T READY
TO THROW IN THE TOWEL.

FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE...

I WAS BROUGHT UP IN THAT,
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MARRIED.

YOU TAKE A VOW,

AND YOU GO THROUGH TRIALS,
AND YOU MAKE IT WORK.

MICHELLE INSISTED ON COUNSELING,

AND FOR A WHILE,
THINGS GOT BETTER.

IN 2004, JUST AFTER
THEIR 10th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY,

MICHELLE REALIZED
SHE WAS PREGNANT AGAIN.

MY THOUGHT WAS,

"I DON'T KNOW IF I'M DOING
THE RIGHT THING," YOU KNOW?

"BUT, OKAY, WE'RE HAVING A BABY.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS WORK."

BUT JUST ONE MONTH
INTO HER PREGNANCY,

MICHELLE'S HOPES FOR A
RENEWED MARRIAGE WERE SHATTERED

AS TOM REVERTED BACK
TO HIS OLD WAYS

AND MUCH, MUCH WORSE.

TOM'S DRUG USE
WAS JUST AS BAD AS HIS DRINKING.

HE WAS SCARY.
HE SEEMED LIKE HE WAS POSSESSED.

I JUST HAD
THIS OVERWHELMING FEELING

THAT HE WAS HIDING SOMETHING.

BY THE SPRING OF 2004,

10 YEARS INTO
HER ROLLER-COASTER MARRIAGE,

MICHELLE BROOME COULD ONLY WATCH

AS HER HUSBAND'S
SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR

ESCALATED.

EVERYONE WAS CONCERNED.

TOM WAS NOT IN A GOOD PLACE.
HE WAS DRINKING A LOT.

HE WAS AWAY A LOT.
HE WASN'T COMFORTABLE.

AND IT WAS REALLY HARD TO WATCH.

THAT DECEMBER,

MICHELLE WENT INTO LABOR
WITH HER DAUGHTER.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
A JOYFUL TIME

SEEMED ALMOST AGONIZING FOR TOM.

IT WAS LIKE HE WAS JUMPING OUT
OF HIS SKIN BEING THERE.

HE COULDN'T SIT STILL.
HE WAS CONSTANTLY ON THE PHONE.

HE WAS PACING,
EVEN AFTER THE BABY WAS BORN.

IT WAS DISTURBING BEHAVIOR.

BUT MICHELLE WOULD SOON LEARN

THAT TOM WAS HIDING
A MUCH DARKER SECRET.

ON MARCH 3, 2005,

NINE WEEKS AFTER THE BIRTH
OF THEIR DAUGHTER,

TOM WAS FLYING TO ATLANTA
ON BUSINESS.

MICHELLE WAS AT THE MECHANIC'S
WHEN SHE GOT AN ALARMING CALL

FROM A DISTRICT ATTORNEY
IN GEORGIA.

HE SAID, "YOUR
FAMILY'S BEEN UNDER SURVEILLANCE

"FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.

I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW NOTHING."

AND HE SAID,
"YOUR HUSBAND HAS BEEN ARRESTED.

"WE HAVE HIM IN CUSTODY.

HE WAS FOUND WITH A LARGE AMOUNT
OF COCAINE ON HIS AIRPLANE."

THE D.A. COULDN'T GIVE MICHELLE

ANY MORE DETAILS OVER THE PHONE,

BUT HIS FINAL WORDS
WERE CHILLING.

AND HE SAID,
"YOU AND THE KIDS ARE IN DANGER.

YOU NEED TO DISAPPEAR."

FRANTIC AND CONFUSED,

MICHELLE RACED
TO PICK UP HER CHILDREN.

SHE THEN MADE A BEELINE
FOR THE BANK,

AND THAT'S WHEN SHE GOT
ANOTHER HORRIBLE SURPRISE.

I WENT TO TRY
AND WITHDRAW MONEY,

AND IT WAS GONE.

THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THERE.
IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.

I CALLED MY SISTER, RENAE.

SHE WAS WORKING,

AND I JUST SAID,
"DROP EVERYTHING."

WHEN I GOT TO MICHELLE,

SHE LOOKED LIKE
SHE WAS IN A COMPLETE FOG.

EVERYONE'S MAIN CONCERN

WAS GETTING HER TO A PLACE
WHERE NOBODY COULD FIND HER.

WE WENT
TO MY YOUNGER SISTER'S HOUSE,

BECAUSE SHE LIVED
IN A GATED COMMUNITY.

TWO HOURS AFTER
SHE ARRIVED AT HER SISTER'S,

MICHELLE GOT A PHONE CALL
FROM TOM.

HE WAS AT THE COUNTY JAIL,
AND I'M TRYING TO ASK QUESTIONS.

"WHAT HAPPENED?
WHO WERE YOU FLYING WITH?

"WHO WAS THE PERSON
THAT CALLED ME?

WHY WERE WE UNDER SURVEILLANCE?"

TOM REFUSED
TO GET INTO IT OVER THE PHONE.

HE KEPT SAYING,

"I CAN'T TALK TOO MUCH,
'CAUSE THEY'RE LISTENING.

"GET ME HOME
SO THAT WE CAN SORT THIS OUT,

AND I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING."

TOM'S BAIL
HAD BEEN SET AT $250,000.

MICHELLE WAS FORCED TO BORROW
THE MONEY FROM FRIENDS.

THREE WEEKS LATER, TOM BROOME
WAS BACK IN CALIFORNIA.

A FRIEND OF OURS
PICKED HIM UP AT THE AIRPORT

AND BROUGHT HIM OVER
TO MY SISTER'S APARTMENT,

AND HE WALKED IN THE DOOR.

HE HAD THIS LOOK ON HIS FACE,

LIKE A SHEEPISH LOOK ON HIS FACE
LIKE, "I GOT CAUGHT.

I'M REALLY DREADING
HAVING TO TELL YOU THIS."

HE SAID THERE WERE DRUGS.

THE GAMBLING
WAS JUST OUTRAGEOUS.

AND HE SAID
THAT THE MONEY WAS GONE.

HE HAD GAMBLED IT ALL AWAY.

DESPERATE TO REPLACE
THE COUPLE'S SQUANDERED SAVINGS,

TOM BEGAN TAKING FLIGHTS
FOR SOMEONE HE HAD MET IN L.A.

THIS GUY
HAD OFFERED HIM CASH

TO FLY THESE FLIGHTS FROM
LOS ANGELES TO ATLANTA AND BACK.

NO PASSENGERS ON THE PLANE,
JUST SUITCASES,

NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

AND EVERY TIME
HE MADE ONE OF THESE FLIGHTS,

HE WOULD MAKE
A GIANT CHUNK OF CASH,

LIKE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS.

DURING HIS LAST FLIGHT,

TOM HAD BEEN STOPPED BY CUSTOMS.

THEY STARTED QUESTIONING HIM.

HE GAVE THEM ALL THE PAPERWORK
ON THE PLANE

AND HIS LICENSE
AND EVERYTHING

LIKE IT WAS
JUST A ROUTINE CHECK.

AND THEY SAID, "IS IT OKAY
IF WE SEARCH YOUR PLANE?"

THEY ASKED HIM TO OPEN A CERTAIN
COMPARTMENT ON THE PLANE.

HE SAID HE DIDN'T
HAVE THE KEYS TO IT.

THEY BROUGHT OUT DOGS,

AND THE DOGS IMMEDIATELY WENT
TO THAT SECTION OF THE PLANE

AND STARTED GOING CRAZY.

THINK IT WAS LIKE FOUR SUITCASES
FILLED WITH PURE COCAINE.

I MEAN,
IT'S NOT EVEN CUT WITH ANYTHING.

HE WAS CAUGHT WITH 65 KILOS,

WHICH HAS A STREET VALUE
OF A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS.

TOM INSISTED HE DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE SUITCASES.

BUT HE DID HAVE ONE MORE
HORRIBLE ADMISSION TO MAKE.

THE MAN HE WAS FLYING FOR
WAS ALSO A MEMBER

OF THE NOTORIOUS
AND DANGEROUS MEXICAN MAFIA.

OBVIOUSLY,
I UNDERSTOOD AT THAT POINT

WHY OUR LIVES WERE IN DANGER.

BUT IMMEDIATELY I THOUGHT,

"WELL, HOW DO I KNOW
THAT WE'RE NOT STILL?"

TOM INSISTED
THE DANGER WAS OVER.

HE SAID,
"NO. YOU'RE FINE.

"THE MAIN GUY, THE KINGPIN,
HE'S LONG GONE.

THEY'LL NEVER GET HIM."

BUT THERE WAS NO RELIEF.

THINGS WERE ABOUT TO SPIRAL
COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL.

THE FEAR OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING
JUST GRIPPED HIM.

HE WAS GOING OFF THE DEEP END.

HE WAS A TOTAL STRANGER TO ME.
HE WAS NOT THE MAN I MARRIED.

IN MARCH 2005,

MICHELLE BROOME'S ENTIRE WORLD
HAD BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

HER HUSBAND, TOM, STOOD ACCUSED
OF DRUG TRAFFICKING

AND WAS ON HOUSE ARREST.

HIS CLAIMS OF INNOCENCE
WERE STARTING TO RING HOLLOW.

I SAID, "YOU KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S
OFFERING YOU THAT MUCH CASH

"TO FLY A PLANE WITH NO PEOPLE
ON IT WITH LOCKED SUITCASES,

SOMETHING'S GOING ON."

THE STRESS
WITH MICHELLE WAS TANGIBLE.

SHE TRIED TO HOLD IT TOGETHER,
BUT IT WAS REALLY, REALLY HARD.

THE COUPLE NOW NEEDED

TO HIRE
AN EXPENSIVE DEFENSE TEAM,

BUT TOM'S IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR
HAD LEFT THEM PENNILESS.

WE WERE LOOKING
AT FINANCIAL RUIN, BASICALLY.

ON THE ADVICE OF AN ATTORNEY,

MICHELLE STARTED
DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS.

IT WAS UNCLEAR YET
WHETHER OR NOT

THE GOVERNMENT WAS GONNA COME IN
AND SEIZE ANY OF OUR ASSETS.

I WAS TOLD
THAT IF I FILED FOR DIVORCE,

IF WE HAD ANY MONEY LEFT OVER,

I COULD POSSIBLY ALLOCATE IT
AS CHILD SUPPORT.

IT WAS A HEARTBREAKING SCENE,

BUT IT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

WHEN THE COUPLE MET WITH
TOM'S DEFENSE TEAM THAT APRIL,

MICHELLE REALIZED
THAT HER HUSBAND HAD NO CHANCE.

THEY COULD LINK HIM
TO DOZENS OF THESE FLIGHTS,

AND IT HAD BEEN GOING ON
FOR QUITE SOME TIME...

OVER A YEAR AT LEAST.

THEY HAD CONVERSATIONS RECORDED.

THEY HAD INSTANCES
WHERE HE WAS FLYING

AND WOULD CHANGE THE TAIL NUMBER
OF THE PLANE MID-ROUTE

OR CHANGE THE DESTINATION
OF THE PLANE MID-ROUTE,

WHICH IS A COMMON THING
THAT DRUG RUNNERS DO.

EVEN WORSE,

TOM HAD ALSO HAND-DELIVERED
THE SUITCASES

TO THEIR RECIPIENT IN GEORGIA.

HE KNEW THE GUY'S NAME
THAT HE WAS MEETING WITH.

HE HAD A REGULAR MEETING POINT
WITH HIM.

I WAS BLOWN AWAY.

AT ONE POINT, I LOOKED UP,

AND I HAD THIS FEELING
LOOKING AT HIM, LIKE,

"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE."

IN JULY OF 2005,

AFTER MORE THAN 10 YEARS
OF MARRIAGE,

MICHELLE AND TOM'S DIVORCE
WAS FINALIZED.

MEANWHILE, TOM,
STILL ON HOUSE ARREST,

WAS FALLING APART.

IT'S LIKE THE DEMONS THAT WERE
INSIDE OF HIM JUST TOOK OVER.

EVERYTHING JUST CAME BACK
TO THE SURFACE,

ALL OF THE ADDICTIONS,
ALL OF THE ANGER,

ALL OF THE ANXIETY,
THE NEED TO ESCAPE FROM IT ALL.

HE WOULD GO
ON THESE DRINKING RAMPAGES

AND HAVE DRUGS DELIVERED
TO THE HOUSE.

HE WOULD GO ON THESE BINGES,
TAKE PILLS.

THERE WERE TIMES HE WOULD BE
SITTING ON THE COUCH, TWITCHING.

MICHELLE CAME TO THAT POINT,
AND SHE REALIZED

SHE HAD TO REVOKE BAIL ON TOM.

HIS BEHAVIOR WAS SO ERRATIC.

JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING 2005,

TOM BROOME WENT BACK TO JAIL.

THAT WINTER, HE PLED GUILTY
TO POSSESSION OF NARCOTICS

WITH AN INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE.

THERE WAS NO TRIAL,
AND TOM WAS GRANTED LENIENCY

FOR COOPERATING
WITH THE INVESTIGATION.

HE WAS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS
IN FEDERAL PRISON.

IT'S HEARTBREAKING
ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS,

BOTH WATCHING HIM AS A HUMAN
BEING, SOMEBODY I CARE ABOUT,

WATCHING A MARRIAGE
COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR.

MICHELLE HAS TRAVELED
A LONG, HARD ROAD

SINCE THAT FIRST KISS
ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO.

TODAY, SHE'S A SINGLE PARENT,

AND WHILE SHE CONTINUES
TO STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY,

SHE HAS AN UNWAVERING
SUPPORT SYSTEM IN HER FAMILY.

THE BOND THAT I HAVE
AND THAT MY KIDS HAVE NOW

WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS
AND MY SISTERS

AND MY BROTHER-IN-LAWS
IS INCREDIBLE.

I COULD NOT
HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THIS

WITH MY SANITY SOMEWHAT INTACT
WITHOUT THEM.

AND NOW WITH STRENGTH
AND COURAGE,

MICHELLE IS READY
TO FACE HER NEXT HURDLE...

TOM'S RELEASE.

I'VE TALKED TO HIM AT LENGTH
ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN

WHEN HE GETS OUT.

I WANT HIM TO BE A PART
OF THE KIDS' LIVES,

BUT I WILL DEFINITELY
BE IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION

AS FAR AS MONITORING
HOW HEALTHY HE IS.

I HAVE FORGIVEN TOM.
IT'S A WASTE OF ENERGY NOT TO.

BUT I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN.