Former NBA Star Coming to Kingston
His story is sad but inspiring.
According to the Daily Freeman, former NBA and college standout Chris Herren will speak on Wednesday in Kingston.
The event is be put together by the "Raising Your Awareness About Narcotics" and the Boys and Girls Club of Ulster County. Its scheduled for Kingston High Schools Kate Walton Field House on Wednesday, March 22, at 6:15 p.m.
If you don't know Herren's story, its a roller coaster of high's and lows that started at Fresno State college and wound up costing Herren a promising career in the NBA.
Boston native, Herren was drafted by the NBA's Denver Nugget's in 1999 and traded to his hometown Boston Celtics during his rookie season and it was all downhill from there, as documented in the ESPN documentary "Unguarded".
Herren had all of his dreams crushed by drug and alcohol abuse but turned all of his misfortunes into a lesson for others and has been drug free since August of 2008.
Carole Kelder who along with her daughter and husband, run the Raising Your Awareness about Narcotics program that was founded shortly after her son Ryan died after a heroin overdose on Aug. 22. 2015.
She told the Freeman that “He was one month shy of his 25th birthday.” She also said that in regards to Herren's appearance that
“If Chris Herren comes to Kingston High, speaking to a full Kate Walton field house, and it helps one person then that’s fine, I’m happy with that.”