Baseball teams and fans reeled in shock over the news that young Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a car accident on April 9, 2009. What made the death more tragic was the fact that it was completely preventable.
The vehicle in which Adenhart was a passenger was broadsided in an intersection by another vehicle that had apparently run a red light. The driver and one passenger with Adenhart died at the scene and Adenhart died later in surgery. One other passenger survived. The driver fled the scene and was arrested within an hour.
A few days after the crash, the driver’s blood alcohol concentration was reported as three times the legal limit. The driver was driving on a suspended license due to a drunk driving conviction in 2006 and had been arrested in 2007 for drunk and disorderly conduct. The driver, Andrew Thomas Gallo, now faces second degree murder charges and remains in jail with his bail set at $2 million.
Tragedies such as these underscore the need for such events as April’s Alcohol Awareness Month. In 2006, more than 16,000 people in the
“There are some people who can’t quit drinking no matter what consequences may occur because these people are addicted to alcohol,” stated Derry Hallmark, Director of Admissions and Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor at Narconon Arrowhead. Narconon Arrowhead is one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “The only safe way to help these people stop endangering themselves and others is by getting them into an effective rehabilitation program. Overcoming addiction could save not just their lives but the lives of family members or even the lives of strangers who are just driving by.”
The Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program is a long-term residential program that addresses the three components of addiction: cravings, guilt and depression. Without relief from these three components, an addicted person may simply return to the drug or alcohol habit that seemed to provide relief from the guilt and depression they felt over the mess addiction was making of their life. A deep method of detoxification using exercise, a sauna and nutritional supplements followed by counseling and life skills training provide real relief and a fresh new hope of a drug-free life.
“As long as people continue to be injured or die in alcohol-related crashes, we need to keep people aware of the dangers of drunk driving,” added Mr. Hallmark. “According to national surveys, more than seventeen million people needed help for alcohol problems in 2006. To stop the deaths and injuries from this cause, these people need to be aware of the help that is available.”
To find immediate help for someone who is having a problem with any kind of drug or alcohol, contact Narconon’s free addiction consultation and referral helpline at 1-800-468-6933 or visit their website at http://www.stopaddiction.com/. The Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State prison, and is based on the humanitarian works of L. Ron Hubbard. In more than 80 centers around the world, Narconon programs restore drug and alcohol abusers and addicts to a clean and sober lifestyle.
