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QUEENS WEEKLY, JUNE 2, 2019
Strawberry: ‘Don’t give up on anyone’
Former Mets great speaks in Whitestone about opioids and addiction at Q&A segment
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 easyto
understand 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
Former major league baseball player and author Darryl Strawberry speaks to Whitestone residents about his struggle with drug addiction and the opioid
crisis. Photo by Dominick Totino Photography
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 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.
/schnepsmedia.com
