Detroit Red Wings' Ken Daniels fighting opioid crisis in son's honor

Jeff Seidel | Detroit Free Press

Ken Daniels, a father still grieving the loss of his son, stood in front of a microphone, his voice cracking with emotion.

“Jamie was loyal, positive, caring, selfless — he wanted to hear people laugh, so he could too,” Daniels said about his son on Monday morning, standing in the lobby of the Fisher Building downtown Detroit. “And he had a wonderful laugh.”

His voice cracked again.

Daniels’ son, Jamie, died of a fentanyl-laced heroin overdose on Dec. 7, 2016, at the age of 23.

Since then, Daniels, the Detroit Red Wings play-by-play announcer, has told the story several times. ESPN made a documentary about it. Hollywood producers called.

“To which we said no,” Daniels said.

More: After son's death, Red Wings announcer Ken Daniels joins opioid fight

He and his family went to Washington D.C. to speak to the Enegy and Commerce Committee, hoping to put a human face on the nation-wide opioid crisis.

And for that, he should be commended.

But what else could he do?

How should he keep his son’s memory alive?

How could he help others?

How could he take all of that energy — all of the pain and sorrow — and turn it into something good?

“Every waking hour has been about trying to do something with this,” said his wife, Rebecca Daniels. “He’s been in meetings and on phone calls and interviews and speaking engagements. It’s been constant. Every waking hour.”

More: Detroit Red Wings' Ken Daniels OK being 'guy whose son passed away'

About a month ago, Ken Daniels met with representatives from the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation.

Daniels had the passion and mission to make a difference — but he didn’t know how to run a foundation. And besides, he is on the road constantly, announcing Wings games.

Meanwhile, the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation has the expertise and infrastructure to run a program like this.

It was a perfect marriage.

“For the first time, since his passing, a very dark cloud began to dissipate,” Daniels said.

This collaboration is still in the early stages.

They are still trying to figure out how to raise money and awareness.

Next summer, they have tentative plans to hold a celebrity roast.

Mickey Redmond, Daniels’ on-air partner during Wings broadcasts, volunteered to be the first victim.

“He said he’s got big shoulders and can handle it,” Daniels said.

A Mickey Redmond roast? Bingo, bango! Slow it down right here, gang. That’s going to be fun.

Down the road, Daniels hopes the foundation can support families trying to get help. “Because it can be expensive," Daniels said.

Daniels is already making a difference. He said he feels as if he has already saved lives.

Or rather, Jamie's story has saved lives.

“One mother reached out to me, her son was in a hockey tournament in Canada, and he had injured his shoulder,” Daniels said. “And she said, ‘I’m bringing him home right away. I don’t want him on any pain medication after hearing Jamie’s story.’

“I’m not a doctor," Daniels said, "but I’ve spoken to enough that after 48 hours, you are running a risk factor."

He paused.

“Maybe, that’s a life we saved," he said. "It’s only one, but so many people have reached out — 'My son is going through it. We are going here to get help. We were thinking of sending him here, but now we are not.'"

“All right, now, maybe, there are two lives," Daniels continued. "Every day, I wake up and think about Jamie.”

“What else can be done?” I asked.

“I think they got to get the head of the snake — the manufacturers and distributors,” Daniels said. “It’s money. It’s dollars. It’s contributions. You gotta get the head of the snake. I know there are plenty of lawsuits around the United States, against the manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.”

“What would you tell families who are going through this?” I asked.

“Get to a family doctor," he said. "Have the doctor get you to a therapist. And the kid has got to be willing, but if he is not, have an intervention. Do something. They are lying. They are stealing. Families have to know it’s not their fault.”

Daniels said his son started taking opioids at Michigan State.

“It started because a friend introduced him to it," Daniels said. "He called me after Jamie died. He called me and asked forgiveness from me. He was on a bed, Jamie and another kid, and he introduced him to opioids at Michigan State. It got out there that it was from taking it after getting his wisdom teeth out in high school. But we had flushed it when he was a senior."

Daniels hopes that the more people talk about this issue, it will help remove the stigma. For a long time, Daniels and his family lived this hell in silence.

“Addicts don’t want to be addicts," he said. "Chemical receptors in your brain take over. It is a mental illness. And more people need to know that."

Daniels should be applauded for his courage and bravery in telling his story. He is doing important work, searching for solutions while dealing with grief.

“When upwards of 180 people are dying daily in America, due to an overdose, the message needs to be clearer and so much louder," he said.

At the end of our interview, Daniels looked at his wrist.

“I’m wearing Jamie's watch now," Daniels said. "I think about it every day. OK. We are going to do something good. Jamie always joked that I needed a summer job. Well, he freakin’ gave me one.”

He smiled.

Those smiles are coming more frequently now.

It's easier to smile for Daniels, now that he has a clear path on what to do.

Now that he has the structure and organization to truly make a difference.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel/.