03/12/2018
Please Welcome our Special Guest Speaker - Vance Johnson
Growing up around addiction and domestic violence as an adolescent, Vance struggled with substance abuse and domestic issues during his early NFL years. After a near death experience and an induced coma in 2009, he sought treatment. After 28 days in intensive inpatient rehab, Vance is drug-free and alcohol-free since September 2013. He has refocused his life to put his faith, sobriety and family above all else. Vance has been featured on Dr. Oz, in an NFL Player Care Foundation informational video, and on the Oprah Winfrey show. Vance is a devout Christian and speaks at numerous events at high schools, colleges, churches, nonprofits and many other keynote speaking engagements. Now settled back in his home state of New Jersey, Vance often shares with groups about overcoming addiction. He holds sessions in state-run and private drug and alcohol facilities around the country: offering hope by sharing his experiences, and breaking stigma.
In May of 2016, Vance joined the Mercer County Task Force bringing awareness to the pitfalls of addiction with surrounding high schools.
Off the football field, he continues to share his story with audiences in the hopes of reaching 1 million souls. Vance is an interventionist, sober coach and Community Spokesperson for Futures in Jupiter, Florida.
NFL career
Vance Edward Johnson is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A wide receiver from the University of Arizona, Johnson played his entire NFL career for the Broncos from 1985 to 1995. Johnson was a World-Class long jumper. In 1982, Johnson won the NCAA championship, as well as winning the gold medal at the Junior PanAmerican games. In 1984, Johnson just missed making the U.S. Olympic team, finishing fourth in the long jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Vance also assisted the Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances in the 1980s and had an impressive performance in Super Bowl XXI, recording five catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.
