Chris Herren

Last night I watched the powerful 30 for 30 documentary Unguarded about Chris Herren and his struggle with drug addiction. Perhaps the most emotionally raw moment was when Herren described when he decided that everyone would be better off if he just killed himself. Out of nowhere a woman tapped Herren on the shoulder told him that she knew his mother and was going to get him help. That woman who is not named in the film saved Herren's life. The intersection of basketball and drugs in the film made me think of Jim Carroll's Basketball Diaries.

I haven't read Chris Herren's book but I have added it to my Amazon Wish List.

I keep thinking that if that woman didn't tap Chris Herren on the shoulder when he was thinking of killed himself that he would have become just another person who died. Except without a guy like Jim Carroll to name him in a song for posterity.