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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Five years ago, a Missouri man woke up in a prison cell, but within hours he was walking out of that prison a free man. Now, Darryl Burton is celebrating five years of freedom.

Burton spent 24 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, a murder in St. Louis. His conviction was based on two snitch witnesses who got lighter sentences for testifying against him and later one of them recanted. Five years ago, Burton won his appeal and the warden told him he’d be leaving prison for the first time in 24 years.

“He just came in with a huge grin and said I was exonerated, said ‘you’re going home today, you’re free man, we have to get you out of this prison because you’re not staff, you’re not an inmate, we have ot get you out,'” said Burton.

A lot has changed in five years. Burton has reconnected with his daughter, he got married to Valerie, a childhood friend, and now he’s going to St. Paul’s for his Masters in Divinity, which he said was much more difficult than he ever imagined.

“Not only the educational part, theology, but I didn’t know how to use the technology,” he said, “I’m basically learning theology and technology.”

Burton said he’s never been compensated for being wrongfully imprisoned, he does have a civil suit pending. But he adds that he’s not angry or bitter.

“For many years I was very angry and bitter and that was another prison, spiritual prison and physical prison,” he said, “I’m not going to give them any more years, I can’t get the time back, I can only move forward.”

Burton says he’ll never stop fighting to help others who were also wrongfully imprisoned and he travels the country sharing his story. But he says his message is also about how turning to God can change your life, even when things feel hopeless.

“My message is about hope and forgiveness,” Burton said.

Burton’s supporters are throwing a party for him this weekend at a church in Prairie Village to celebrate five years of freedom. It’s now closed to the public since more than 150 people are expected to be there.

For more about Burton’s story,click here.