CRYSTAL LAKE – A capacity crowd filled the Prairie Ridge High School auditorium Wednesday night to listen to former NBA player Chris Herren speak about substance abuse.

Herren, who dealt with substance abuse for 14 years, has been sober for more than six years and, for the past four, has talked to numerous crowds to share his story.

“Chris is a very, very powerful speaker,” recovering addict Tim Ryan said. “He speaks his truth and he is making people aware that there is an issue out there and that it needs to be addressed.”

Addressing the problem was something that Herren stressed as more important than just about anything he spoke about Wednesday night. Many of the parents in attendance were curious about how to address the issue with their kids, knowing the challenge of doing so.

Herren’s message to the parents was simple.

“What is it about them that they need to change the person they are on a Friday or Saturday night,” Herren said. “Why aren’t they good enough?”

Herren said that, when substance abuse is discussed, we usually hear about the final and worst days of it. He focuses on Day 1, when a kid first tries the drugs and it’s most impressionable. Herren wants his audience to realize how real the problem is, here and now.

Herren said that he would never take any of it back. As his dream of hearing his name get called at the NBA Draft and hearing his name in the starting lineup of the Boston Celtics came true, he said the past four years of speaking and spreading awareness have been the most gratifying ones of his life.

Korin Peters, another recovering addict in attendance, believes the raising of awareness, like Herren’s speech, will bring about more people sharing what they are going through.

"It was an extremely inspirational message," Peters said. "It's amazing to see where he came from and where he is today. I think this is the exact thing that can slowly but surely help this real problem."
Prairie Ridge student James Lasak was in attendance with a few friends. Lasak said the message was strong and had an impact.

“I wish a lot more of the students would have come,” Lasak said. “There is a real problem present, even at the high school age. It’s important to spread awareness to try and stop it while we are still able to.”

Herren also spoke at Crystal Lake South during the day Wednesday. Those two hours were some that Herren described as “two of the most intense hours” he’s gone through since starting to speak to crowds.

On Thursday, he’ll speak at Crystal Lake Central.