Former all-American basketball player and Boston Celtic Chris Herren fell into a dark world of opiate abuse while playing professional ball and managed to come out the other side unscathed. In fact, he recently celebrated 10 years clean and sober and opened up his own non-profit focused on early intervention and post-treatment health. Pine Tree Recovery Center is a treatment partner with Herren Project and we work closely with Herren Project to improve the lives of young men and women who are struggling with drug addiction just like he once did. We’re proud to be considered a Herren Project treatment partner, especially considering the incredible journey of addiction and subsequent recovery that Chris openly shares. Everyone deserves the opportunity to recover and everyone can get clean and stay sober for years to come.

Chris began playing high school basketball in Fall River, MA in the early 1990s. He was awarded the Massachusetts High School Player of the Year, in fact. From a young age he was an extremely gifted athlete and after high school he went on to play college ball. He played at Boston College until he was caught using drugs and suspended. Not ready to accept his addiction Chris moved to Fresno State – where he also tested positive for drugs. Chris then moved onto the NBA where he played for the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics. His professional career was short-lived because he got caught with illicit substances within the first two years. Still unable to come to grips with his addiction and seek the help he needed, he moved around to play basketball in different countries for brief periods of time until his addictions shut down every opportunity one by one.

While playing professional ball in the NBA, he was spending over $20,000 on prescription painkillers every month. In 2004, Chris overdosed on heroin in his hometown of Fall River and crashed his car into a utility pole. The paramedics that responded to the scene noted that he had been dead for 30 full seconds before he was resuscitated. Even this near-death experience wasn’t enough to beat his addiction. In December 2007, Chris was charged with heroin possession in a Dunkin Donuts parking lot in Rhode Island. This was nearly the end of the road for him and he entered a series of inpatient treatment programs in 2008.

Recovery wasn’t an easy process for Chris. He attended several intensive inpatient treatment facilities, and officially got clean and sober on August 1st, 2008. Herren co-wrote a book with Bill Reynolds (a columnist for the Providence Journal) entitled “Basketball Junkie.” The story detailed his own personal struggles with professional sports and drug addiction. He has never shied away from the spotlight when it comes to his recovery, and he put out a documentary shortly after his book hit the stands. Professional athletes are often seen as heroes in the eyes of their fans and admitting their humanity by way of struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction can tarnish their reputations. However, Chris remains a hero in the eyes of the American public. Is this because he went on to have a prolific career, make lots of money and win numerous NBA Championships? No. It’s because he was honest about his issues and because he dedicated his life to help improving the lives of others.

People have different definitions of the word “hero,” but at Pine Tree Recovery Center we believe that the true definition of a hero is someone that possesses the bravery and determination to face their problems head on. Because we have the utmost respect for the bravery of Chris we are absolutely thrilled to be partnered with the Herren Project and to offer those who need help the opportunity to get and stay clean and sober for years to come. If you’ve been struggling with heroin addiction (or drug addiction of any kind) and you feel as if you’re all alone – you aren’t. Far from! Not only are there hundreds and thousands of other people who battle alcoholism and drug addiction daily, there are hundreds and thousands of men and women that have taken the necessary steps towards a life of fulfilled recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance dependency, reach out – the only thing keeping you from getting better is yourself.

The Herren Project was founded in 2011 by Chris Herren himself and is dedicated to helping others navigate their personal roads to recovery and living up to their full potential. Because Chris spoke openly about his struggles with drug addiction in his book “Basketball Junkie” and his documentary “Unguarded,” he received innumerable calls from other people who were struggling and didn’t know where to turn. He founded the program to help those who needed it while increasing awareness and promoting prevention. The goal is to help individuals through every stage of recovery – from detox and inpatient treatment to support services, outreach and prevention. Herren Project believes that treatment should be accessible to all and offers scholarships and other means of financial assistance to those that need treatment but can’t afford it. The program also offers continued aftercare programs and support groups for those who have recently completed treatment and works to empower and inform youth and communities on the risks involved in experimentation.