Gerard to speak about addiction

Gus Gerard returns to the University of Virginia for the first time since 1986 tonight when he will address students and faculty about his cocaine and alcohol addictions and subsequent path to sobriety.
The former star Cavalier basketball player, who left school a year early in 1974 to play in the ABA and eventually the NBA, will deliver his talk, “The Long Way Home: Gus Gerard’s Path to Recovery,” at 7 p.m.  in the Newcomb Hall Ballroom.
The event is open to the public.
Gerard’s speech is presented by Hoos In Recovery, an organization of students, alumni, faculty and staff recovering from addictions, with assistance from the UVa Department of Athletics, the Office of the Dean of Students, the Center for Alcohol and Substance Abuse Education, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the Intra-Fraternity and Intra-Sorority councils.
Gerard played for seven years in pro basketball, hiding a secret life that included cocaine, marijuana and
alcohol abuse that ended up costing him his career, the money he had earned, his family and nearly his life. After a failed suicide attempt, he sought help and will be sober 15 years on May 26.
He is now in the business of helping others and welcomes anyone with an alcohol or drug problem to come here his story this evening.
“If I can just save one or two people, that would be incredible,” Gerard said. “Hopefully I can help prevent someone from making the mistakes that I made.”