Ray Lucas To Appear On REAL SPORTS

[SoFlaJets]

Lucas to appear on REAL SPORTS

Updated: Apr 18, 2011 11:17 AM

By Bob Glauber

Former Jets quarterback Ray Lucas, who has openly acknowledged his struggle with an addiction to painkillers in recent years, will appear on tomorrow's edition of Real Sports on HBO. The segment will cover Lucas' work with a New Jersey-based health organization, P.A.S.T., which Lucas credits with saving his life.

Dr. William Focazio of Clifton, NJ, started the program - Pain Alternatives, Solutions & Treatments - after seeing a REAL SPORTS segment on former players' struggles with post-career addiction. He assumbled a staff of medical specialists from across North Jersey to treat former players on a pro-bono basis. REAL SPORTS reporter Armen Keteyian, in his first assignment since rejoining the show, meets with Focazio, his team of doctors and the former players he is helping. The interviews with former players include Lucas, Craig Sauer and Randy Grimes.

"I would stop taking the pills the night before but when I got off the (SNY) set, and going to get my truck and drive home, I was taking about a handful, 15, 16 pills at a time," Lucas, 38, told Keteyian.

"So you're a functioning addict?” Keteyian said.

"Oh, yeah," Lucas said. "You know, 450 pills a month is not a game that was my life. That was my life every friggin' day. And the only time I got out of bed was to go do my TV show, the only time. So family life, was none. Father, wasn't there. Husband, not there.”

Lucas said his problems began in 2009, when his NFL insurance ran out five years after his career ended.

“I'm bankrupting my family because I needed the medicine," he said. "I mean there was times when I was going to shave and I couldn't shave because I didn't like who I was staring back at. I wanted to punch him right in the face.”

Lucas said he contemplated suicide, even planning a drive to the George Washington Bridge, where he planned to jump off.

"I was thinking go on the GW (Bridge) make a right in the middle. You know what I’m saying? Just screw it. I didn’t want to kill myself in the house because the girls would be there. [Jennifer Smith] calls me back and she said, ‘We're going help you.’ And I was like, ‘What? You know? What did you say?’ She's like, ‘Well, we're going to take your case.’ "

Lucas is now out of treatment and back with his wife and three daughters in New Jersey. He also underwent surgery more than two months ago for a neck problem, but has not taken a pain pill.

“The fog has been lifted," Lucas said. "I am so crystal clear about what I want to be. I want to be a better husband. And I want to be a daddy. They saved my life. I can’t put it any other way. I would be dead right now if it wasn’t for P.A.S.T.”

[faba]

keep it up Ray- painkillers can be an addiction just like other drugs