Former NBA star Chris Herren spoke to Twin Valley students, sharing his story of fame and his decline into drugs and addiction.
May 13th was a drizzly overcast morning at Elverson’s Twin Valley High School. Inside, the mood in the auditorium was somber matching the weather.
High school students were watching a film about Chris Herren, a high school basketball star’s rise to fame, becoming his hometown’s Boston Celtics legendary player who lost it all, spiraling into the haze of drugs and addiction.
The film told his story about his Durfee High School career that was so stellar he was featured in a book about the school entitled Fall River Dreams.
The riveting story on screen was brought to life when Student Council President Jared Lawler introduced Herren, the legendary All American Pro Basketball Player, to the assembly.
In this packed auditorium you could hear a pin drop.
“In the last five years I have been sharing my story in prisons, school assemblies, the military, universities and pro ball teams. Before each session, I say a prayer that if I can only reach one kid it is worth it,” said Herren.
“I was a regular teen growing up in Falls River, Mass. My Dad was an alcoholic and my Mom was always depressed. I lay awake nights praying for the fighting to stop, promising myself I would never be like my Dad and break my Mom’s heart. I broke that promise at 14 after drinking one of my Dad’s beers. Now I was drinking that beer that caused my Mom’s pain. That’s not cool, that’s sad,” he reflected.
This led to the start of his living a double life. Friday and Saturday nights he was hanging out in basements with his friends drinking and smoking pot and parties in the woods where the cops couldn’t find them. He was a tough kid.
It continued when he got his dream enrolling in Boston College. Here he was introduced to cocaine. Featured in magazines like Sports Illustrated as an up and coming star, before even playing his 1st game Herren failed a drug test for marijuana and cocaine use.
Twin Valley High students were reacting with emotion quietly in their seats.
He broke his wrist in his first game and was ruled out for the season. Within three months of his injury, Herren failed two more drug tests and was expelled from the team and the university.
The students were reacting with emotion and some tears quietly in their seats.
“After being kicked out I transferred to Fresno State. Per NCAA rules I sat out a year until 1996 playing for the Bulldogs. Then failing another drug test Nov. 25, 1997 I admitted at a national TV press conference that I had been battling drugs for four years and that I was a drug addict.”
After attending rehab, Herren returned to the team.
“Even knowing that NBA scouts were at the games, I was doing my last line of cocaine while walking into the game and my last drink was a Budweiser.”
In 1999 while training for the NBA draft, he was selected in the second round for Denver. The rules were set down by the coaches who took care of him. No drinking, No smoking.
When he went home again he was introduced to Oxycodone. He was immediately hooked. He was physically addicted; needing it every day.
“When I went back to Denver I was traded to the Boston Celtics. All I worried about was getting in touch with drug dealers,” he said.
“I stood in the rain waiting for a dealer minutes before a game. We won that game and my picture was on the front page of the Boston Globe. I was high.”
A knee injury forced him from the Celtics to play in Bologna, Italy. He smuggled in Oxycodone then drove around seeking it at bus stations, and back streets. He traveled to five countries, while the drugs escalated to Heroin.
Back in the states Herren told this chilling story.
“I was found, out cold in a car with a needle in my arm. Someone called the police. At the hospital they said you have been dead for 30 seconds. I thought my best option was to commit suicide.”
After two more rehabs and 45 days sober he went home to watch his wife give birth. Then went to a liquor store to get high. His wife told him he couldn’t be there anymore.
“That was my bottom. After four overdoses, jail cells, and crashes I completed an intensive rehabilitation program, I am alcohol and drug-free since August 1, 2008.”
Then he started a question and answer session with the audience. One kid in a front row was sleeping. He said to the guy next to him, “Wake him up!”
He told a story about a talk he gave to 3,000 students and a little girl raised her hand. The kids started laughing. She said, “See Mr. Herren nobody cares anyway.”
Six months later he got a letter from her and she shared her secret, Dad was an alcoholic. “For four years I wear the same clothes. The kids make fun of me on snapchat, post pictures, and laugh at me and I have no friends. My Dad gets drunk on the couch and my Mom is depressed. I am a cutter. When you walked in you said a prayer.”
Later she said she sat at the ‘cool kids’ table, when they started making fun of her she rolled up her sleeve and showed them her scars, “It’s not my fault my dad is an alcoholic, I want to show you how you hurt me. Since that day nobody bullies me anymore.”
Every 30 days he gets an email from her saying she is not cutting any more.
That email means more to him than you could know.
“You kids don’t need to listen to some guy’s story. I see some Project Purple Shirts in the front row. Years ago I met some students wearing purple shirts at a talk. A girl stood up and said four years ago we promised each other we would never do drugs. People laughed.
“I said what could possibly be funny about girls not wanting to get trashed? I wish I didn’t need drugs when I was just fitting in. It is about self-worth. I remember like it was yesterday, drinking in basements, hiding in woods. I was no longer just worthy enough being me.”
Today we have TVHS entire girls’ baseball team in Project Purple. The people clapped.
Many kids in this school promised their Mother and looked them in the eye and promised they would not use drugs. There are kids here who are struggling. He told them if you are their friend, you will help them, but some will walk out laughing.
“In five years when you come back home and run into their mom, she will tell you her child didn’t make it. And you will say, ‘Why wasn’t I a better friend?’ Look in your home. Your kid brother and sister want to be like you. Sit in your seat and ask yourself one question? Do you want your little brother or sister to turn into what I turned into Saturday night in the basement or the woods.” He pressed on.
Five days ago a mother called him to say both her 13- and 14-year-old boys took pills, and the younger boy died trying to be like his brother.
“Go to a funeral. This time of year is sad for me. A year ago a little girl was sitting crying. I took her for a walk. Her father had died from an overdose and her best friend was suspended last week. I gave her Mom my number. A year ago today my phone rang. She said she looked out the back window and her son was dead from an overdose.”
“When you have a friend who is struggling you don’t keep it secret. I wish when I was your age I would have grabbed a brother and said I just can’t stop pretending, I don’t know how to get out of it,” he said urgently.
A young girl in the back raised her hand and said, “I need a hug.” She walked down to him and the dam opened. One brave girl led the way.
Students were getting the message breaking out of their secrets and reaching out to others in need or comfort.
TVHS is one local school that is facing the drug problem head on.
Herren suggested when they leave home, say goodbye to Mom and Dad and give them a hug. “Then look in the mirror and say, ‘Why isn’t this enough for me anymore? I am worth it.”
After dismissal the student were allowed to share their feelings in their classrooms. Chris Herron met privately with those that asked.
For more information, contact Chris Herren at info@theherronprojet.org or visit www.ChrisHerren.
