Dan Falloon
Theoren Fleury, an NHL star who garnered nearly as many headlines for his personal life as for his on-ice career, will visit here next month to talk about making positive choices.
Fleury, who spent 15 seasons in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, N.Y. Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks, will be in the area March 9-11 to speak to students is Grades 7-12.
He is scheduled to deliver his speech, entitled “Don’t Quit Before the Miracle,” at Fort Frances High School on March 9 and 10 and then at Atikokan High School on March 11.
A free public presentation also is planned for March 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Townshend Theatre.
Tickets are expected to be available early next week from Shauna-Leigh Carlson of the Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre and Brent Tookenay of the Rainy River District School Board.
The presentation is expected to run about 45 minutes, followed by 15 minutes for questions.
There also will be a one-hour autograph session afterwards.
Fleury had a much-publicized battle with drug and alcohol abuse throughout his playing career—a topic he delved into in his autobiography “Playing With Fire,” which was released last October.
Tookenay, the school board’s aboriginal education leader, said he hopes all students are able to take something from Fleury’s presentation, which will touch on several issues currently affecting the community.
“It’s just about letting kids know that it doesn’t matter who you are, things like drugs and alcohol and suicide affect everybody,” Tookenay explained.
“He talks about what are supports that you can find within the community to help you when you are in need.”
Tookenay acknowledged bringing in Fleury isn’t going to make drug and alcohol abuse disappear, but he does have faith his appearance will inspire some change.
“It’s not going to, obviously, solve all the issues of drugs and alcohol, but it’s going to bring an awareness to the people that there are supports out there,” Tookenay stressed.
Fleury won a Stanley Cup in his rookie season with Calgary in 1989 and an Olympic gold medal in Salt Lake City in 2002.
He scored 488 goals and had 633 assists in 1,084 career NHL games.
