Veins Of Jenna

Former basketball star Chris Herren tells Bridgewater students to 'Be a hero'

“Be a hero” was the advice former NBA player and Fall River native Chris Herren gave to more than 300 eighth-grade students during his Friday visit to the Bridgewater Middle School.

“The heroes are the kids at parties that have water or soda,” he told the group. “When you are confronted with drugs or alcohol, be a hero.”

Herren, who was a McDonald’s High School All-American, played Div. 1 college basketball and later had a run in the NBA playing for the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics, battled drug and alcohol addiction for nearly two decades.

It all began when he was 14.

As an adolescent, he smoked cigarettes and would sneak alcohol from his parent’s liquor cabinet. He graduated to marijuana, cocaine and OxyContin use until heroin almost took his life.

“I wish I could go back to (eighth grade), and I wish I paid attention in these assemblies,” he told his young audience.

Herren’s hard-hitting message was for students to learn from his mistakes.

“Oxy put me in places and houses with people I thought I would never encounter,” he said.

He spoke at length about the fateful day in June 2008 when he filled his veins with heroin, overdosed, crashed his car and was found by police slumped over the steering wheel.

“That day, I put my daughter on the school bus, my son on the school bus and left my wife, who was eight months pregnant, and went looking for heroin,” he said recalling the events leading to the crash.

Once he got the drugs he was in search of, he said, “I got in my car, put it in my arm and drove away.”

Herren went into a treatment center shortly after and two months later, on Aug. 1, he vowed to stay clean and sober.

“A lot of what he talks about is really affecting this age group,” Principal Derek Swenson said. “Hopefully, students will learn a life lesson from his experience and that choices made at this age can have a lifelong affect.”

As Herren shared his story, waves of emotion enveloped the crowd – even bringing some to tears.

“It is sad that drugs can take hold of people and ruin their lives,” said Carina Giovannone, 14, whose eyes filled with tears during the presentation.

Herren’s road to recovery is chronicled in his recently released book “Basketball Junkie, A Memoir,” co-written by Herren and Providence Journal sportswriter Bill Reynolds.

06/24 Vains Of Jenna » Club Red / Red Owl

Headliner : Vains Of Jenna

Advance Ticket Price : $10.00

Venue : Club Red

With Special Guests : Riot Act * Dirty Drifters * Suite 88 * A-law

Door Time : 7:30 PM

Age Restrictions : All Ages

Biography : VAINS of JENNA formed in Falkenberg, SWEDEN in 2005. A mere 6 months later the band was in a Hollywood studio with Gilby Clarke (X-GN’R) cutting demos. Spring of 2006 they toured Europe but were back in Hollywood by summer where they attracted the attention of Bam Margera (MTV’s Viva La Bam/Jackass). He signed them on the spot & “Lit Up-Let Down” hit stores that fall (Filthy Note Records).

Several US tours ensued; including a 55 date tour with Poison. Add in the “Viva La Bands” tour (GWAR/Cradle of Filth) & a club run with Wed 13 (Murderdolls). The band played with The Donnas, Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks), Bullets N’ Octane, Dizzy Reed (GN’R), The Last Vegas, Viking Skull, Crashdiet & Sunset Strip legends Steel Panther.

In 2008 they stayed in LA & appeared on “Jackass 24” (MTV) & “LA INK” (Kat Von D). Their single “Enemy in Me” (Viva La Bands-2/Ferret Music) was featured on both. Fall 2009 they issued “The Art of Telling Lies” to 5 star reviews.

March 2010 the band evolved with a great new singer & front man in Jesse Forte. The band also welcomes a 2nd guitarist in fellow Swede Anton Sevholt. VoJ toured Europe as a 5 piece in the summer 2010 playing 40 shows. September 2010 they are back in the US & launched a new single/video for “Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead-2010 Mix”.

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