Former NBA player to talk of addiction struggle
Former Celtic Herren will talk about his struggles with drugs, alcohol on Wednesday
Chris Herren, who saw his NBA career cut short by drug and alcohol addiction, will speak at Kingston High’s Kate Walton Field House on Wednesday, March 22, at 6:15 p.m. on behalf of Raising Your Awareness About Narcotics and the Boys and Girls Club of Ulster County.
Herren, a native of Fall River, Massachusetts, was drafted in the second round (33rd pick overall) by the Denver Nuggets in 1999 and traded to his hometown Boston Celtics after his rookie season.
He played in 70 games over two seasons with the Nuggets and Celtics, averaging 3.2 points and 2.4 assists a game. He then played professionally in Europe, but addiction took its toll and crushed his dreams.
Herren has been drug-free since Aug. 1. 2008, and his story was told in the ESPN documentary “Unguarded.”
Carole Kelder, sister-in-law of Kingston boys basketball coach Ron Kelder, runs Raising Your Awareness about Narcotics, founded by her along with her daughter and husband shortly after her son Ryan died after a heroin overdose on Aug. 22. 2015.
“He was one month shy of his 25th birthday,” Carole Kelder said.
Kelder said the organization’s
mission is “to promote substance abuse awareness and share our family’s journey to dispel the myth of addiction and the stigma that’s attached to it.”
“We’re a family who lived in isolation,” Kelder said. “There’s a stigma attached. We felt like if we came out and we told our story about our family’s journey, we’d be able to help somebody else.” Kelder said she started thinking about this during her son’s funeral. The family decided to have his obituary read that he died of a “progressive and deadly addiction,” she added,
“We wanted to be open and honest of what we went through as a family,” Kelder said.
Kelder, the principal at Mount Marion Elementary School in Saugerties, also said that being public and honest is key to helping others.
“We’re letting them know it can happen to anyone, the disease of addiction” she said. “You don’t have to hide, you can reach out for help.
“We can all support one another,” Kelder added.
Kelder contrasted her son’s death with the story of her husband Vince Kelder’s recovery from alcoholism.
“I know my husband, he’s been very open about his recovery,” she said. “He found my son dead on the kitchen floor in his apartment.”
She said the fact her husband, who owns a marine detail firm in Kingston, remained sober during the ordeal attests to the support he has.
“He’s strong in his recovery,” Kelder said. “We’ve seen this from both ends of the spectrum, my husband Vince is a story of hope. My son is a story of what can happen.”
Kelder also said she wants to be there to let families talk, vent and ask questions.
“We’re honest with all that,” she said. “If we can point them in the right direction, listen to them, share our story like they’re sharing with us. Make them feel they’re not alone.”
Kelder said she first heard about Herren from Savona’s Pizza owner Danny Savona. He heard him speak before and told her he’d thought he’d have a strong effect on local youngsters.
Kelder said she watched “Unguarded” and was soon inspired by Herren’s story.
“The kid came from a middle class family,” she said of Herren. “He was a great athlete, and he had it all.
“This disease once you get so far, you can’t help yourself. You need to have help to recover.”
Kelder spoke to Kevin Gilfeather of the City Parks and
Recreation Department and they’ve worked with Herren since August.
During that times, Kelder dealt with Herren through his public relations woman.
“She’s been very accommodating,” Kelder said. “They sent me all the info I needed to put this together, and we’re excited to have them.”
When they needed a venue, Kingston High stepped in and offered Kate Walton Field House, according to Kelder.
This event follows up on a 5K run that benefited the Boys and Girls Club of Ulster County’s drug awareness programming in October 2015. Kelder said they’re planning on doing another 5K this year to benefit the Kingston Parks and Recreation Department.
Kelder’s daughter Randi, 24, also lends a hand by speaking to students in schools and colleges. She gave a speech at Kingston High in December, and she was asked to speak at several schools afterward, Carole Kelder said.
“She also shares Ryan’s story with the Breaking the Cycle Assembly that is done with the Bruderhof Community,” Kelder added.
She’s a University at Albany graduate who works for the state, but this is what her passion and priority is, her mother said.
“She’s a big part of the organization,” Kelder said.
Looking ahead, Kelder said she wants to continue to raise awareness of addiction and hopefully move toward making inpatient services more accessible and expand recovery services.
“If we raise awareness, we can get people to advocate legislation to change these things,” Kelder said. “We attended advocacy days on Feb. 28 with Friends of Recovery.
“They’re starting to lobby for changes in legislation and support for expansion of recovery services.”
She pointed to Ulster County creating a family advocate position as a positive development.
Kelder said she wants to continue to honor and remember her son.
“I’d like to see we’re living in a community that is aware of disease of addiction,” she said. “I want to live in a place where people have the necessary resources when they’re seeking recovery.
“We have a great group of people, friends, of ours family, been with us every step of the way.”
Returning to Wednesday’s event, she said she’ll be happy if they reach just one person.
“If Chris Herren comes to Kingston High, speaking to a full Kate Walton fieldhouse, and it helps one person then that’s fine,” she said. “I’m happy with that.”