'Get something out of this': Local students hear from national speaker on mental health, substance use

Apr. 16—Tony Hoffman told a group of area high school students Monday at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College that they can learn the most in life by listening to people's stories.

"People's life stories give us an opportunity to listen," he said.

Hoffman was brought in by the Anthony Swalligan Memorial Foundation for the annual event for local seniors.

"Get something out of this," foundation founder Shane Downey told the crowd.

He implored the students to "take this seriously" and learn from Hoffman, who spoke to the group about his successes, failures, battle with substance use and struggles to overcome internal demons.

Hoffman said he wrestles with social anxiety, depression and related issues, and one of his largest mistakes was never sitting down with a trusted adult when he was younger to talk about these matters.

Instead, he bottled them up and attempted to deal with them — including feeling like his father didn't love him.

That led him to throw away a budding basketball career when he was punished for selling marijuana in seventh grade.

Hoffman moved on to BMX racing where he found additional success. In his senior year at Clovis High School in California, he was featured on the cover of BMXer Magazine.

At that time, he was also sponsored by Fox Racing, Airwalk Shoes and Spy Sunglasses.

Even though he had success there, Hoffman said he gave up BMX for computer networking and a job after high school, but that led to a lot of partying.

Even though it was gradual, he said he started with marijuana but moved on to Oxycontin.

That path eventually led him to robbing a friend's mother at gunpoint for more pills, years of destructive behavior and jail time.

While incarcerated, Hoffman resolved to do better and did, becoming a nationally recognized mental health and substance-use speaker, professional BMX racer, author and owner of pH Wellness drug and alcohol treatment facility.

Connor Serenko, a Central Cambria High School senior, said he thought it was good for him and his peers to hear from people such as Hoffman and learn from their lives.

The 18-year-old also spoke about the importance of his classmates getting out of the classroom and attending these type of events to learn important lessons.

Timothy Regan, Richland High School principal, described the event as "truly beneficial" to young people in the community.

He added that he's thankful the Anthony Swalligan Memorial Foundation organizes the annual event and gives local teenagers the opportunity to hear from these nationally renowned speakers.

"To have people of this magnitude tell their story — hopefully it's impactful," Regan said.

The foundation is named for Bishop McCort Catholic High School graduate who died of a drug overdose in 2016, just five years after graduation.

During his presentation, Hoffman spoke about his own friends who died from drug addiction and schools where he's visited and students have overdosed from fentanyl while he's speaking.

Hoffman cautioned students about the dangers of fentanyl and how anything can now be laced with the deadly drug.

Joshua Byers can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.

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