Former Lions QB Joining Forces with Community Parent

Former Detroit Lion quarterback Eric Hipple has joined forces with  to continue the battle of chasing drugs, bullying, and suicide out of the community and beyond. 

Hipple will also be the featured speaker 7 p.m. Wednesday at Community Parent’s monthly meeting at .

"Eric has a keen interest in kids, our philosophies line up and he is willing to help us anyway he can," said Community Parent member Tony Brown.

Hipple lost his son to suicide in 2000.

"He had every classical symptom that we list as far as not feeling good, kind of achiness, so somatic pains, sleep disturbances," Hipple told WJBK Fox 2 in Detroit.

Hipple has since spoken to students and groups about suicide and depression and became the Depression Center Outreach Coordinator at the University of Michigan to try and prevent this from happening to others.

“We need to understand what mental health is in its best form so we can understand when it varies from that. In that way, we can intercede earlier,” Hipple told the Daily Tribune. “The problem is, when we talk about mental health, it’s always in a negative context, so people stay away from it. They don’t want to address it until it’s too late. Then it becomes a panic.”

The Community Parent monthly meetings are open to the public and once again will have the  on hand for young gamers of all ages to enjoy. There will be breakout groups during the meeting to discuss the upcoming  as well as continuing to develop programs to conquer the issues young people should not be dealing with in their community. 

Students and parents are encouraged to come out to learn, share, and get involved with the solution process.  Members of Community Parent’s newly formed youth addiction support group will be on hand to discuss the program which addresses both the youth dealing with the addiction, and the parents who are dealing with healing their family.  Parents of students struggling with addiction can find hope through talking with others who are dealing with the same issues and finding healing and support with Community Parent.   More details on this meeting and other upcoming events, like the open public showing of the “Chasing the Dragon” presentation on the evening of Jan. 21, which will be posted on the Community Parent website, www.communityparent.org.