Alvin Powell's career in professional football was shortened by his addiction to crack cocaine.
Alvin Powell's future looked bright when he entered professional football, but within a short few years he descended into a drug addiction that brought him to the brink of death.
On April 19 at the Nazareth Area High School auditorium, Powell is scheduled to speak about his life and how to avoid the mistakes he made. The event, which is open to the public, starts at 6:30 p.m. Registration is not required.
Boxing great Larry Holmes is also slated to speak.
Powell, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive lineman, joined the Seattle Seahawks in 1987. He played there for two season and then moved on to the Miami Dolphins.
Battling a crack cocaine addiction, Powell played only two games in 1989 before dropping out of the NFL and, according to him, becoming an embarrassment to his family and friends.
Powell recovered from his addiction and now tours high schools and other venues warning of the perils of drug addiction.
How healthy is the Lehigh Valley?
The event is sponsored by the Northampton County Drug and Alcohol Division and AVA Volleyball's drug awareness program. Kevin Harding, whose daughter plays for the volleyball club, helped organize a similar event last year.
"Alvin has a unique story," Harding said. "He's an amazingly passionate guy who's dedicated his life to helping young people."
Harding said he was motivated to set up these events after numerous reports of heroin overdoses in the area, including two that occurred in friends' families.
"They (addicted people) are not really living their lives," Harding said. "They are just chasing their addiction."
Harding said he received positive feedback after last year's event and he hopes people attend this year to listen to Powell's story and learn from it.
John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.