Strawberry: ‘Don’t give up on anyone’
Former Mets great speaks in Whitestone about opioids and addiction
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Former New York Mets
outfielder and author Darryl
Strawberry discussed and
addressed the opioid epidemic
and his personal struggle with
drug addiction on May 23 with
Whitestone residents while
reiterating the importance
of community.
“I think it’s real important
that I get a chance and
opportunity to travel the
country and go into all types
of schools,” said Strawberry,
who has spoken to students
across the country about drug
awareness and addiction.
“I’ve done a lot of things and
I see that community is so
important. We really need to
start gathering and coming
back together so we can make
a difference.”
Strawberry, who played
professional baseball for 17
years with the Mets, Giants,
Dodgers and the Yankees, led
an honest dialogue and Q&A
segment with an audience at
the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox
Church, before signing
copies of his book “Don’t
Give Up on Me: Shedding
Light on Addiction With
Darryl Strawberry.”
Strawberry’s book touches
on his personal story of
childhood abuse, anxiety,
drug abuse and alcohol
addiction with easy-tounderstand
explanations and
commentaries on addiction
from trained professionals.
The book provides a basis of
coping and understanding
addictions, and offering hope
and a path to healing.
“Don’t give up on anyone.
If people had given up on me,
I wouldn’t be standing here
today. My mother prayed for
me and my wife pulled me out
of dope houses 16 years ago,”
said Strawberry, who has been
in recovery for 16 years.
The 57-year-old bornagain
Christian and ordained
minister, who struggled with
substance abuse throughout
his baseball career and
battled cancer, expressed
the importance of building a
conversation and connecting
with the youth.
“We’re living in a time
where it’s very broken and
lonely for a lot of young people,
and I’ve been in recovery for a
long time and I’ve never seen
Photos by Dominick Totino Photography
so many people addicted to
drugs like they are today,” said
Strawberry. “I didn’t come
here to talk about baseball and
the championships…all that
stuff means nothing, when I
sit here and look at kids dying
it breaks my heart.”
Strawberry added, “We
have a serious problem in
America today, and it’s going
to take people like you and like
me to start paying attention to
our kids…if you don’t talk to
them someone else will.”
While traveling to different
schools across the country and
speaking with patients at his
treatment center, Strawberry
noted the impact of social
media and past personal
troubles in their lives.
“When I sat down at the
table and talk to young girls
and boys at my treatment
center and they told me
they’ve been abused and
raped, and that’s the problem
right there. That’s why they’re
doing drugs,” said Strawberry.
“They’re trying to escape from
the pain that’s within that’s
deep. If we don’t help kids
with their deep pain inside —
their hurt, habits, rejection,
loneliness, divorce, all this
plays a big part in kids’ lives.”
Strawberry encouraged
parents to be honest and show
more openness, love, and
acceptance to their children.
“Parents hug your kids.
Tell them you love them
and care for them,” said
Strawberry. “We just hope
that we’re the prime example
for them, that they will stay
connected with us. We need
to get back to hearing them,
just listen, and let them tell
you what they feel. When
we do that it might just save
them from making the wrong
decision.”
His message to the youth:
“Be a leader, don’t follow
the crowd.”
Following his speech,
Whitestone residents said
they were truly inspired by
the star’s passionate words
of encouragement.
“It’s awesome that he came
to speak to a community. You
really saw that he had a heart
to bring awareness and help,”
said Laura Copersino, of the
local non-profit organization,
the Daniel Copersino
Foundation, which helps raise
funds in support of substance
abuse and addiction based
charities providing grants to
those in need of treatment.
“A lot of people maybe don’t
want to face it or admit that
it’s going on, but it’s beyond
important — it’s a matter of
life and death.”
Erin Rappaport, a school
social worker, said the event
showed the importance of
coming together showing love,
compassion and kindness.
“I’ve worked in very very
wealthy school communities
and the most impoverished
crisis communities and
they’re both affected by drugs
and addiction and human
suffering,” said Rappaport.
“There’s not enough talk
about human suffering and
everyone is trying to put up a
front and pretend that we have
it together and when we come
together and talk about our
problems and keep it real, it
makes us feel not so alone.”
After witnessing
Strawberry speak to a group
of students a few months ago,
Alfredo Centola, president of
the We Love Whitestone Civic
Association, said, “I always
say “GET UP , GET OUT, GET
INVOLVED! Darryl reiterates
that message in a way that
hits home. In a way meant to
protect our most loved and
vulnerable. We can’t pretend
it’s not happening. We have to
be proactive!”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.
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