SIDNEY — A former NBA player will share his story about substance abuse and his recovery during a community event on Thursday, Aug. 25.
Chris Herren, a basketball legend from Fall River, Massachusetts, dreamed of one day playing for his hometown team, the Boston Celtics. An All-American, Herren broke scoring records, was recruited by top colleges, featured in Sports Illustrated and became the focus of an acclaimed book Fall River Dreams. Herren realized his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA when he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1999 and was traded to the Boston Celtics after his rookie season, but lost it all due to substance abuse.
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. A tale of descent into addiction, a miraculous recovery and a new life mission, 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.
The goal of the program is simple — to raise awareness in the community about substance abuse and the detrimental effects it has on people of all ages specifically the youth population.
This community event is sponsored by: Wilson Health, Shelby County United Way, city of Sidney Police Department, Orthopedic Associates of SW Ohio, P.T. Services Rehabilitation Inc., Reality 2000 Group and Shelby County Family and Children First Council/Help Me Grow.
This event is free and open to the public. The program will begin at 7 p.m. at Lehman Catholic High School’s Schlater Gymnasium.
For more information, visit www.wilsonhealth.org or call 937- 498-5441.
