CHUVALO SPEAKS AGAINST DRUGS

Former Canadian heavyweight boxing champion George Chuvalo brought his
anti-drug message to the pupils of Allan Drive middle school in Bolton
Thursday.

Chuvalo, who was never knocked down in 97 professional fights, spoke about
the personal tragedies his family went through due to drug use. One son
shot himself, two of his sons died from drug overdoses and his wife
committed suicide with an overdose of pills.

He first showed the audience an 18-minute video which showed interviews
with two of his sons - one who died less than a year after the video was
shot, and his one surviving son who was the oldest of the four boys.

Chuvalo said his three sons who died were all addicted to heroin. His
youngest son Jesse shot himself to death in 1985. His third oldest son
Georgie Lee was found dead on Halloween 1993 with a needle in his arm. Two
days after Georgie Lee's funeral his distraught mother died from an
overdose of pills.

Chuvalo's second oldest son Steven, who was in jail when the video was done
in 1995, died nine months and 15 days later on Aug. 17, 1996, from a heroin
overdose.

Chuvalo said in the video Steven may have looked OK.

"My son wasn't OK," he said.

He added he remembers watching an episode of Geraldo and a 17-year-old girl
said she didn't know anything about a down side to taking drugs.

Jesse was the first son to become addicted and then Georgie Lee and Steven
would go downtown to get a hit, both were so desperate for heroin, he
explained. Getting graphic, he said they would be soiling their pants at
the sight of the heroin.

"Every time I tell that story I get sick to my stomach," Chuvalo said.
"They would want you to know how awful it is to be a drug addict."

He noted Steven was planning to speak to young people about education,
drugs and spending time in jail.

"Education is the single most important determinant about how you're going
to do in life," Chuvalo said.

He added to stay on an even keel is almost impossible when you're an addict.

He told the pupils this is the time when decisions affect the rest of their
lives. He also stressed how important it is to love people.

"We all need love," he said.

He encouraged them to tell their parents they love them.

"When you honour your father and your mother you honour yourself," he said.
Your caring means a lot."

Putting his left arm straight out like a football player on a running play,
he told the kids to "straight arm smoking, straight arm drinking and
straight arm drugs.

"If you ever think of doing drugs, think of what it did to my family."