Most of the seats in Amityville Memorial High School’s auditorium were filled when former NBA professional basketball player Chris Herren visited the school on Jan. 11 to share his remarkable journey from success to addiction to recovery with students.
Herren, who made presentations at the high school on several occasions in the past, shared a video which documented his amateur and professional basketball career and his struggles with substance abuse.
“Everybody thinks that my presentation all about drugs and alcohol, but I think it’s about self-esteem,” Herren said. “I also think it’s about family and self-worth. The kids who truly want to be different, and the kids who can go out on Friday nights and just be happy in being themselves, those kids are my heroes. It’s the fact those kids don’t have to shut the noise off, and that they’re willing to face their issues head-on.”
Following the video presentation, Herren went into further detail of his own life experiences to enlighten students about the detrimental impact that drugs and alcohol had on his career, family and health. He also discussed his current career as an advocate against substance abuse, his journey of being alcohol- and drug-free since August 2008, and how he has visited high schools throughout the country to share his story. He encouraged students struggling with substance abuse to seek help in friends, teachers and family members and stressed the importance of never letting friends stray off course. Following his presentation, students in the audience asked Herren questions about his journey to sobriety.
According to its website, the Herren Project is a nonprofit foundation established to assist individuals and families struggling with addiction. The THP Project Purple initiative was launched in 2011 to break the stigma of addiction, bring awareness to the dangers of substance abuse and encourage positive decision making to navigate life’s challenges.
Date Added: 1/12/2023