Sara Conroy, Reporter
@sconroycourant
Motivational speaker Chris Herren lead an inspirational presentation in the auditorium on Wednesday, April 24. RAM Council, a nonprofit organization that helps to provide healthy alternatives to underage drinking and substance use, organized the event as an opportunity to promote a drug-free school environment.
Mr. Herren, a former NBA star, spoke to an audience of all ages about his past relationship with drugs, his battle with addiction, and the road to recovery. Mr. Herren began his basketball career during his time at Durfee High School in Fall River, MA. He went on to play at Boston College and Fresno State, and was selected in the NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. He eventually joined his hometown team, the Boston Celtics. However, this all came to a close when he lost his basketball career and almost lost his family to addiction.
Mr. Herren started his speech by sharing his personal experiences with drugs. When he talked about his high school days, Mr. Herren shared that he would seldom pay attention at drug assemblies. “I would see the images of addicts and people with needles in their arms and think I’ll never be that guy,” Herren said “I would give anything to go back to 1994 and listen.”
Mr. Herren believes that we put too much emphasis on the end of the process of addiction, not the start. He no longer wants to explain the process of becoming addicted, or the “last day” on drugs, but instead wants to help students to avoid that “first day” using drugs or alcohol. “One line of cocaine travels with you for a lifetime,” Mr. Herren says. “Seven out of fifteen kids on my basketball team struggled with addiction and they never thought, when I grow up I can’t wait to stick a needle in my arm. Because no one signs up for addiction.”
As a person who has been sober for the last ten and a half years, Herren has been victorious in motivating kids to be drug-free and to focus on health, academics, passion and their futures. He believes that we have to get kids asking themselves about why they are resorting to drug use. “We have to approach this by asking the tough questions because it applies to a lot of kids in their teenage years,” Mr. Herren said. “Why? What is your reason? How come on Friday nights you have to escape the insecurities to hang out with friends you’ve known your whole life? Why could you score 40 points in front of 4000 people but couldn’t hang out in a basement with ten people on a Friday night without using substances.”
When asked how parents can prevent their children from doing drugs and participating in this destructive behavior Herren instructs parents to focus on the why. “Parents often ask ‘Who were you with? Where did you get it?’” Herren said, “Instead of asking, why did you have to get like this?”
Sophomore Ian Rocha, a member of the RAM Council believed Mr. Herren was spreading a powerful message to those in attendance and showing them that people of all socio economic groups can be affected by substance abuse.
“One of the most interesting parts of the talk was when people were standing up if they dealt with addiction and a surprising amount of people in the room had stood up,” Ian said. “After seeing that, it really shows that this is something that’s affecting a lot of people.”
Herren encourages people to speak out about their struggles instead of hiding it. “Secrecy behind illness has allowed them to grow as a community.” Herren said.
Last year the Herren project helped 769 people who struggle with addiction, but in his presentation, Mr. Herren mentioned how he would be satisfied if his talk helped just one person. “There are plenty of people who can relate at some level, whether it’s their family or their personal story,” Mr Herren said. “I believe at some level they can walk out after that presentation and feel like they were included. I hope one adult leaves the auditorium saying ‘I’m not the mom or dad that my kids believe me to be’ and is inspired to make a change.”
