Joe
Joe
We are one drum beating against the stigma of addiction
Joe himself doesn’t have a mental health condition, but he knows all too well the problems that stigma can cause.
I’ve been labeled with stigmas since I was a child. I was adopted, so there was a stigma that came with that.
I was born legally blind, so I was ‘the blind kid’—another stigma.
Then, when I was five or six years old, they took me to McLean Hospital for tests because I was hyperactive. They called me a ‘wild child.’ That was another stigma.
Tests at McLean revealed that Joe didn’t have a mental health issue. Instead, he was a gifted kid with a high IQ and a strong desire to keep active.
Fortunately, his father didn’t hold Joe back. Instead, he encouraged his son to play sports, study martial arts, and explore his love of music. It has paid off in many, many ways.
Joe took up roller skating. He became a six-time national champion and was inducted into the Roller Sports Hall of Fame. Despite his vision problems, he played quarterback and kicker through his high school football years—and excelled.
He became a talented martial artist and teacher, holding three black belts. He then became a martial arts consultant for the world-renowned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Skilled on the drums from the moment he picked up a pair of sticks, Joe has worked as a professional musician for many years.
I’ve had an incredible career for a kid who wasn’t supposed to be good at anything.
Today, Joe is channeling his skills and his energies into a new project—one that hits very close to the heart.
My wife and I lost our son to a drug overdose in 2015.
After we lost our son, we decided we wanted to do something, so we started a nonprofit organization, a charity called MightyDrum.org.
With the motto “Together we are one drum beating against the stigma of addiction,” Mighty Drum brings education and support to individuals and families facing substance use issues.
The group also raises funds to assist individuals who are battling substance misuse, and they provide transportation services for people heading to treatment and rehabilitation stays.
A lot of people think of people with drug addictions as ‘junkies shooting up behind the dumpster’ or ‘dirty, rotten thieves,’ but that’s not how it is.
Lots of people have these problems—all kinds of people—and addiction has no preference. We’re trying to break through the stigma and bring awareness.
To bring awareness, Joe and his team at Mighty Drum have organized musical performances, produced music videos, and even created a children’s book on substance misuse. Joe has also given talks to all kinds of audiences.
We’re about focusing on the positive. We’re about kids in recovery. We’re about giving inspiration and hope.
I’m happy to talk about addiction anytime, anywhere, to anybody.
It seems Joe has been battling stigma his whole life. Today, motivated by the memory of his son, he keeps on fighting.
Who knows more about stigma than the guy who’s been labeled with stigmas all his life?
