Former NBA player shares his recovery journey with community

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MINSTER – The public is invited to attend a presentation by Chris Herren as he shares his journey navigating the disease of addiction, the road to recovery and his mission to reach just one person and make a difference. The free presentation is open to the public and will take place at Minster Elementary School in Minster, on Wednesday, March 22, at 7:30 pm. The school is located at 50 E. Seventh St., Minster.

Herren, a basketball legend from Fall River, Massachusetts, was an All-American, broke scoring records and was recruited by the nation’s top colleges. Herren realized his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA when he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1999 and then traded to his hometown team, the Boston Celtics, before losing his career and almost his family to the disease of addiction.

A person in long term recovery, Herren inspires people to start the conversation on wellness and educate themselves on the disease of addiction. It is his hope that strength will be found in the struggle and communities will come together to address the issue of substance use disorder, advocate for effective treatment and embrace the power of recovery.

Alcohol and drug free since 2008, Herren has refocused his life to put his sobriety and family above all else. He shares his harrowing story of abuse and recovery in his memoir, “Basketball Junkie,” as well as in numerous interviews throughout the Emmy nominated ESPN Films documentary, “Unguarded,” of which he is the subject. Herren travels throughout the country sharing his story with audiences in the hopes of reaching at least one person and making a difference in their life.

Wilson Health is a major sponsor for the event. Minster Ministries is the secondary sponsor. No stranger to the area, Herren first came to Shelby County in 2016 to speak with students of area schools and the community.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to help bring Chris and his team back to the area,” said Margo O’Leary, director of Marketing and Communications at Wilson Health. “To improve the health and wellness of our communities is at the heart of our mission. We need to continue to open the lines of communication with our youth when it comes to drugs and substance use. Through Chris’ story and message, we hope to really make a positive impact.”

The presentation is recommended for junior high and older audiences.

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