Orlando Magic player Vince Carter wiped tears from his eyes as he tried to explain why he helped build a new substance abuse treatment center in Bunnell, Florida. It’s not about the recognition, he said, but “how many people we can help.”
"I've seen teammates, friends, and family fall victim to what we are trying to fix," he said Monday afternoon to 200 people at the dedication of the sanctuary. Every day on television, he said, it seems another athlete goes down because of alcohol and drugs.
"It's a reality," said Carter, 32. "Drugs and alcohol (are) killing our world and killing our communities. Something needs to be done about it."
Carter and his mother, Michelle Carter-Scott, donated $1.6 million toward the Vince Carter Sanctuary, which opened July 20th and currently has nine clients. The $8 million sanctuary, operated by Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare, is starting with 50 beds for private-paid clients. The remainder of the 50 beds for clients without insurance will open when funding is available. Officials hope money from the private-paid beds will help fund the other beds.
Cost for the private-paid beds is about $600 a day or about $20,000 for 30 days and a reduced price of $38,000 for a 90-day program, officials said. People can pay additional if they need treatment for up to a year.
The sanctuary, which was built by Hall Construction and designed by The Ginn Co., is getting hundreds of inquiries, officials said, including from out of the country. Ken Seeley, one of the interventionists on the A&E reality television show "Intervention," plans to use the facility for some of his clients and clients of the show, an official said.
"Many lives will breathe easier because you have lived," Volusia County Council Vice Chairwoman Joie Alexander said to Carter during the dedication. "That is the true meaning of success."
Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson also praised the new jobs the facility is bringing during hard economic times. The sanctuary has added 60 full-time workers, so far, officials said.
Carter said he plans to spread the word everywhere he goes, including to athletes who may need help. He also plans to talk to people in treatment at the sanctuary when needed. His message to them is to "stay focused, set a goal and reach for it."