On an early September day just before the start of the professional football season, a former New England Patriots player spent a day meeting several groups to share his story and send a message of hope and ambition.
Former New England Patriots Running Back Tony Collins spent September 5th meeting with a group of business owners at the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce in Lincoln, RI, residents and staff at both CareOne in Sharon, MA, and Halcyon at West Bay in Warwick, RI. They were all treated to a story of ambition, loss, and redemption. He has triumphed over adversity and wants people to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
“I thought my purpose was to play in the NFL,” Tony told each group. “My purpose now is sharing my story with all of you. With all of things I did, I should not be here…I should be dead. I am still here for a reason.”
His first stop was the NRI Chamber to speak with members of a business networking group. He discussed his time in New England, some of his favorite football memories and what he hopes to accomplish in the future. The group asked him questions regarding his playing days, his feelings on football today, and what his advice is for others.
The group was engaged and were moved by Tony’s story. Some purchased copies of his book, “Broken Road: Turning my Mess into a Message.”
Tony’s next stop was at CareOne in Sharon. He shared his inspiring and encouraging life story, taking residents and staff on a journey through his experiences on and off the field. His message of perseverance, hope, and staying true to your goals truly resonated with everyone in the room.
Program Director Ashley McLean said what made this visit even more meaningful was the time Tony spent personally meeting with residents and staff, signing copies of his book and sharing heartfelt conversations. These one-on-one moments created lasting connections and made the day extra special.
Care One Sharon strives to provide residents with opportunities for meaningful moments and enriching experiences, and Tony’s visit was a perfect example of that, according to McLean said. Every day, their residents are presented with a variety of engaging choices designed to make their time here more purposeful and fulfilling — and this event was a true highlight.
“We are grateful to Tony Collins for joining us and inspiring our community with his story and his heart,” she said.
Tony’s final stop was at Halcyon at West Bay. There, residents, guests, and staff were treated to Tony’s life story and posed for pictures.
Halcyon Executive Director Melissa Stock said she was thrilled when the chance arose to have Tony come speak there. She and her Assistant Executive Director Ashley Ferreira are huge Patriots fans. This did not require much thought on whether to host Tony. She said the staff and residents were happy to meet him and listen to his stories.
“We couldn’t believe our good fortune upon hearing that Tony would come here,” Stock said. “There are plenty of sports fans in our community. They were excited to hear about his life and what playing football back then was like. It was a wonderful event!”
Halcyon at West Bay is an assisted living is designed for seniors who need a little more day-to-day assistance than residents in independent living. These communities often have programs and team members in place who can provide support with everything from assistance with daily living and basic care to recreational activities and transportation.
Growing up near Rochester, New York, Tony Collins had a dream. His hope was to play in the National Football League (NFL). He would practice outside long after his brothers and sisters went inside. He pretended to play in thousands of games and thousands of Super Bowls when he was outside by himself. He was just nine years old at the time, but Tony envisioned a life outside of the small town his family lived in and dreamed of something bigger.
He played on a high school football team that was ranked number one in the state. He played college football at East Carolina University with his hopes of playing professionally.
When told that the chances of a player from his hometown getting drafted in the NFL was 2,000-1, Tony said with a smile, “So, you’re saying there’s a chance?”
He beat the odds and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round in 1981. Even more amazing was Tony’s teammate, Chris Chrissie, was also drafted by the Patriots in the 12th round in that same draft! Tony doesn’t believe that was just a coincidence. He believes it was something more than just shear luck.
Tony’s wish is to speak with any group, organization, school, corporation, annual events to share his story and reach more people.
For more details about booking Tony for your business, event, or endeavor, please contact Mark Berger of Berg’s Eye Communications at markb@bergseyeprri.com.
