NBA Basketball star turns from addiction to recovery and establishes a program to help others.

Substance Free 02043

Chris Herren is known for playing in the NBA for teams like the Boston Celtics, but he was a basketball phenom starting at a young age. Chris broke records; he had a book written about him when he was just 16; and he attended Boston College on a full scholarship. However, all of that success was taken away by an addiction that plagued him from his teen years when he drank "the beer he never wanted" at 14 years old.

Drugs and alcohol threatened to destroy Chris' life and harm the ones he loved most. He said he worked really hard to keep his addiction a secret, and he would watch his kids play with toys on the floor while he "took a chance at dying every day." Eventually he realized that he had a problem that needed to be addressed. He sought treatment while his wife was pregnant with their third child and living on food stamps, and it was then that his life turned around.

Not only is Chris now a person who has successfully maintained his recovery for over 15 years, but he also speaks across the country to hundreds of schools each year and runs a program designed to prevent others from going down the same path of destruction. Herren Wellness has been open since 2018 and provides treatment for people battling addiction to drugs and alcohol. Their unique approach seeks to help people understand the "why" of their substance use so that they can fully address it in their lives. Tune into this honest and heartfelt interview.