Chris Herren, the subject of the ESPN movie Unguarded, will speak at an assembly at CR North on March 29. (Photo provided courtesy of Council Rock North)
Chris Herren’s story is a compelling one.
Council Rock North senior Clara Miller can vouch for that after hearing the former National Basketball Association player and recovering drug addict tell his story at an in-school assembly last year.
“Watching and listening to Chris, it just makes you look at life differently,” said Miller, a SADD officer. “You no longer see just a single moment in time. His story makes you look back at your own past, present and future. It also makes you ask yourself what makes you who you are.
“I remember looking around the auditorium during his speech and the entire crowd was silent. No one was talking and no one was being rude. Everyone was just listening. During parts of Chris’ speech, I looked over at my friends and teachers. They all had tears in their eyes. Some of the people that were visibly emotional rarely cried and almost never in public. Others just sat not knowing how to react. It amazed me to see how just one man’s story in two class periods impacted an entire school. I don’t even think words can describe the atmosphere after Chris told his story.”
Council Rock students and their parents will have a chance to hear Herren’s story when he presents an assembly at Council Rock North on Wednesday, March 29, 7 p.m.
“Addiction affects us all, and Chris Herren’s story makes us better equipped to help someone in need,” said Rock North math teacher Danielle Holsey, who is instrumental in bringing the event together. “This helps us relate to people, and for kids, even if they’re not personally struggling with addiction, it gives them this idea that they can make a life-changing decision not to go down that road.
“One of my favorite lines is when he talks about every junkie’s story starts out with a red Solo cup, and we fail to talk about that. Kids think it’s innocent – my parents are going to let me party in the basement, and that’s okay, but seeing where it goes and the path it puts them on is important. They see the whole story and say, ‘Oh my gosh, it can end that bad.’”
Herren, a hometown hero in Fall River, Mass., went on to play collegiate basketball at Boston College and Fresno State before embarking on a brief NBA career with the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics.
“He really talked to kids a lot about self confidence and the idea of loving yourself enough to say, ‘No, I don’t want to do that because I have self worth and self value,’” Holsey said. “One of his lines is ‘you are good enough.’
“He goes on to say – be someone your brother or sister can be proud of. Do you want your brother or sister to be smoking pot in someone’s basement? Do you want your brother or sister to lie to your parents? It’s basically setting your path so you’d be okay with your siblings following in your footsteps.”
All costs for the event – including Herren’s speaking fee – are paid by Chris Mahoney, a 1999 graduate of Council Rock who was a member of the basketball team.
“Addiction affects every family – whether it be immediate family, an aunt, an uncle, a cousin,” Mahoney said. “I just feel like so many people are affected by it.
“I was always involved in sports, and in a way, I always felt bad that I couldn’t give back because I lived in Hoboken, N.J., and work in New York, and I thought this was kind of a unique way of giving back.”
This is the fourth event that Mahoney has sponsored. Two years ago, Herren spoke at a sold-out night assembly, and last year, he spoke at two separate in-school assemblies at Council Rock North and Council Rock South.
“His ability to connect is so good and so cool to watch because you see how impactful it is and how affects some of these kids,” Mahoney said. “It makes it all worthwhile.”
The impact of Herren’s visit last year was profound.
“I felt like our school was more united than it has been in a while,” Miller said. “Everyone with different backgrounds was on the same page.
“Chris made it clear to everyone that we are good enough. We don’t need things like drugs and/or alcohol to change who we are. Chris’ message resonates with the student body and anyone who is willing to listen.”
Tickets are $5, and all proceeds will benefit Athletes Helping Athletes.
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