GREAT FALLS — On Thursday at the Bill Williamson Auditorium at Great Falls CMR High School, Ryan Leaf returned to the site of some his biggest triumphs and lowest moments, speaking out about mental health and substance abuse issues in a presentation called “Lying to Myself.”
The event was presented by Gateway Community Services, a Great Falls recovery center, and it marked Leaf’s first public appearance in his hometown since the former CMR and NFL quarterback was arrested on burglary, theft and drug charges back in 2012.
Since then, Leaf has embraced recovery and sobriety and has been an outspoken advocate for mental health and addiction issues, speaking to groups, teams and conferences around the country.
“We found a way that this can organically happen, and I can come home and simply share my story with a community that I took so much from and victimized,” Leaf said to open his speech.
On Wednesday Leaf spoke to students in Miles City and last fall had engagements in Missoula and Cut Bank. Leaf was the subject of the MontanaSports.com Sunday Conversation in October.
-Tom Wylie reporting for MTN Sports
