MLive’s Ansar Khan spoke with Red Wings play-by-play announcer Ken Daniels ahead of this Wednesday’s Celebrity Roast of Scotty Bowman, which will air at 8 PM EDT on Fox Sports Detroit:
“I think people will laugh; I think people will cry,” Daniels said. “Hopefully, they’ll be educated. We need to talk about what substance abuse disorder is to end the shame and stigma.”
More than 700 attended the inaugural event; this format will reach more people, Daniels said.
“We thought it best to keep the theme going rather than just disappear for a year and I think we made the right decision,” Daniels said. “To keep the message out there is so important because isolation, when you add to COVID, for those suffering from substance abuse disorder, just exacerbates the problem. They need social interaction, meetings. They’re doing things with therapy. At our site, jamiedanielsfoundation.org, we have that, and the ability to find places to go. But meetings and interactions for people suffering from this disease is so important when you look at the numbers.”
Daniels said Michigan ranks 10th in prescriptions written for opioids and 18th in opioid deaths.
“As we say with our foundation, end the shame and stigma of what is substance use disorder,” Daniels said. “We have to talk about it. It’s a mental illness. People need help.
“Our long-term goal is to build safe, long-term sober housing in Southeast Michigan and we’re making headway there, too. That’s where the funds are going, here and the collegiate recovery program (at Michigan State).”
