Halcyon Assisted Living Hosts Patriot Collins

WARWICK, RI — Just before football season, former New England Patriots Running Back Tony Collins toured three NE spots, including  Halcyon Assisted Living at West Bay, assisted living for people with dementia.

Collins spent Sept. 5 meeting with business owners at the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce in Lincoln, RI, residents and staff at CareOne in Sharon, MA, and, finally, at Halcyon at West Bay, 2783 W Shore Road, Warwick, RI.  Collins treated all his hosts  to a story of ambition, loss, and redemption. He said he has triumphed over adversity and wants people to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

“I thought my purpose was to play in the NFL,” Tony said, “My purpose now is sharing my story with all of you. With all of things I did, I should not be here…I should be dead. I am still here for a reason.”

Growing up near Rochester, New York, Tony Collins had a dream. His hope was to play in the National Football League (NFL). He would practice outside long after his brothers and sisters went inside. He pretended to play in thousands of games and thousands of Super Bowls when he was outside by himself. He was just nine years old at the time, but Tony envisioned a life outside of the small town his family lived in and dreamed of something bigger. He played on a high school football team that was ranked number one in the state.

He played college football at East Carolina University with his hopes of playing professionally. When told that the chances of a player from his hometown getting drafted in the NFL was 2,000- 1, Tony said with a smile,

“So, you’re saying there’s a chance?” He beat the odds and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round in 1981. Even more amazing was Tony’s teammate, Chris Chrissie, was also drafted by the Patriots in the 12 th round in that same draft. Tony doesn’t believe that was just a coincidence. He believes it was something more than just sheer luck.

Collins said he’d like to speak with any group, organization, school, corporation, or at annual events to share his story and reach more people.

Collins had copies of his book, “Broken Road: Turning my Mess into a Message,” with him to offer anyone interested in a signed copy.

At Halcyon at West Bay, residents, guests, and staff were treated to Tony’s life story and posed for pictures with the former footballer.

Halcyon at West Bay Assisted Living: Good Fortune

Halcyon at West Bay Assisted Living Executive Director Melissa Stock said she was thrilled when the chance arose to have Tony come speak there, as she and her Assistant Executive Director Ashley Ferreira are huge Patriots fans, as are many in their community.

“We couldn’t believe our good fortune upon hearing that Tony would come here,” Stock said. “There are plenty of sports fans in our community. They were excited to hear about his life and what playing football back then was like. It was a wonderful event!”

Halcyon at West Bay Assisted Living is designed for seniors who need a little more day-to- day assistance than some seniors. The communities often have programs and team members in place who can provide everything from assistance with daily living and basic care to recreational activities and transportation.