PONTIAC, Mich. – Flint native Mike Ramsdell shares the struggle and success of professional boxer Taylor Duerr in the “We Can Be Heroes” documentary.
The documentary follows the story of Detroit’s Taylor “Machine Gun” Duerr as he earns a national boxing title while fighting his addiction and battles with recovery and stigma outside the ring.
“Addiction affects all members of a community. Stigma is the number one obstacle we face in treating this epidemic. By breaking down the walls of stigma through community dialogue, we know that those who need help are more likely to seek it, and those who can help are more likely to offer it,” Ramsdell said. “We’re grateful and honored that Meridian sees the benefit in promoting this as a community conversation.”
The community is encouraged to attend a free screening of the documentary, which will be followed by an expert panel discussion.
The free screening and discussion will be held on Thursday, June 29, at the Crofoot Festival on 1 S. Saginaw Street in Pontiac, Michigan. The free lunch begins at 12:45 p.m. and the movie begins at 2 p.m. You will need to reserve a seat online.
- When: Free lunch at 12:45 p.m. and the movie begins at 2 p.m. on June 29, 2023.
- Where: The Crofoot Festival on 1 S. Saginaw Street in Pontiac, Michigan.
- Tickets: Reserve a seat online.
“Last year 107,000 people in the United States died from substance use disorder. This is the highest number of deaths ever. Mike (Ramsdell) and I wanted to make a film that helped everyone understand addiction isn’t just about celebrities and homeless people,” Duerr said. “It can be anyone, and it doesn’t just affect the person with the disease, it rips the whole family and community apart.”
The discussion about addiction and stigma will be moderated by Hale Bukoffsky, owner of Great Lakes Recovery, with panelists - Ramsdell, Duerr, Dana Lasenby (CEO of Oakland County Health Services) Rick and Cindy Paige (CEO of Meridian Health Services), and Denise Barney (Manager of Outpatient services for Meridian Health Services.)
Seats must be reserved in advance through The Crofoot’s website.
You can watch the trailer for the documentary online.
“We Can Be Heroes” was executive produced by Peter Berg of “Chicago Hope” and “Friday Night Lights” fame.
If you or someone you know needs help with opioid use disorder, call the SAMSHA National Hotline at 1-800-662-4357