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Health and Wellness
Speaker shares journey to sobriety with upper school students
Author and speaker Matthew Bocchi plunged into drug and alcohol addiction during his young adult years after the trauma of losing his father in the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. His personal spiral alienated family members and left him feeling alone, ashamed and helpless. Bocchi shared his tragic and ultimately uplifting journey from addiction to sobriety with RE upper school students during an assembly on April 22 at the Lewis Family Auditorium. The goal of his presentation – a core component of RE's health and wellness programming – was to encourage struggling students to seek help, while arming their peers with strategies for support.
Speaking to students without notes from the front of the auditorium stage, Bocchi urged students to confide in trusted adults about their struggles and to avoid pretending things are fine when they are not. He shared his story from the time he learned of the death of his father at age nine until he was nearly imprisoned for committing three drug-related felonies 14 years later. It was at that point, that he entered rehab and stopped using drugs and alcohol.
"Sobriety is the biggest gift that I have," he said. "I work extremely hard at my sobriety every single day."
Bocchi also presented his presentation, "Overcome," to parents from Ransom Everglades and the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart on Nov. 4. His visit was part of a partnership between the schools to provide the highest quality health and wellness offerings to their respective communities.
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"Sobriety is the biggest gift that I have," he said. "I work extremely hard at my sobriety every single day."
Bocchi also presented his presentation, "Overcome," to parents from Ransom Everglades and the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart on Nov. 4. His visit was part of a partnership between the schools to provide the highest quality health and wellness offerings to their respective communities.
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.