Alexa Hodgson '27
On May 20, 2025, Greenwich High School Sophomores were called down to the Performing Arts Center for a surprise assembly. Students had no idea who, or what they would be listening to. It turned out to be a guest speaker, former NBA player Chris Herren.
Chris Herren was a high school basketball player who landed spots on teams like the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics. Students were first introduced to him through a video that shared his life story. The video began with Herren’s high school career, and continued through his time in college and in the NBA, focusing on how his drug addiction evolved throughout his life. In high school, he smoked and drank, but once he entered college, he started doing cocaine, and eventually got addicted to opioids. The video ended by sharing that Herren overdosed four times, but was able to become sober after his third child was born. One of the foremost reasons behind his sobriety was his wife, Heather Herren, who gave him an ultimatum--either become sober or never come back home.
After the video ended, Herren surprised students by standing in the front row of the seats instead of standing on the stage. Each student was captivated by his presentation, which made it seem as if he was having a conversation with every individual person in the room. Herren opened with his goal for the presentation: to help just one kid in the room. He took the time to acknowledge the perspectives of most of the kids in the room: “this is pointless, [drug addiction] is never going to happen to me.”
Herren then stated that “substance abuse doesn’t just affect the person who is using drugs.” This idea is not often expressed in health classes at GHS, as students often just learn that drugs are not healthy and lead to addiction. Herren emphasized that even kids with parents who are addicted to drugs are affected. He said that as a high schooler, his father was an alcoholic, which drastically affected his home life. He shared another story of a high school girl whose father was also an alcoholic, and how it impacted not only her home life, but also her life at school. This message resonated with each student, and at the end of the assembly, one student even raised his hand and shared that his father is an alcoholic, and wanted some advice.
Partway through the assembly, Herren asked each student to picture a little kid who looks up to them--a sibling, a cousin, etc. He then asked, in terms of drug use “would you want your little sister or brother to emulate your behaviors?” and “if you were a kid, would you look up to you?” He stressed that kids want to be like their older sister or brother, and imitate their behaviors. So, if you wouldn’t want your little sibling doing drugs, why would you?
Throughout the assembly, Herren repeatedly said that “we put so much focus on the worst day, and we forget the first day,” meaning that everyone focuses on the day when someone gets in trouble or overdoses, that they forget about the introduction of the substance into the person’s life. Herren also emphasized the idea that people should ask the “why” behind someone’s struggles, and that you never know who might be struggling. He believes that it is important to ask “why do some kids need drugs in order to enjoy themselves?” instead of asking what is wrong with them. The emphasis on self-esteem and self-worth contributing towards drug abuse is something not often discussed or taught at GHS and was very eye-opening for the students in the audience.
Herren now owns Herren Wellness Center, a wellness center in Massachusetts which helps people recover from drug addiction. He also founded the Herren Project, a nonprofit that provides free resources for people struggling with substance abuse. Students from all over the country can get involved in this program by becoming a Youth Ambassador. In addition, Herren shares his story and talks about substance abuse through the Herren Talks program. Through all of these programs, Herren continues to fulfill his main goal: to help “one person with his or her struggles.”