Playing with fire by theo fleury with kirstie mclellan day, harpercollins publishers ltd. Theo fleurys victor walk in talks with the documentary. Gretzky has every record there is, and now might as well notch his name down for best hockey book. Former calgary flames star and bestselling author, theo fleury. The book is a raw and honest conversation, loaded with personal insights and cuttingedge information about healing from trauma and abuse. Former nhl star theo fleury chronicles addiction in new book. Theos life once carried the markings of a troubled childhood, abuse and coping with emotional pain through addictive and selfdestructive behaviours. Fleury shares all in this raw, captivating and honest look at the. He said he wrote it because he wants to help people. Theo fleurys new autobiography includes an allegation that he was sexually abused by his junior hockey coach graham james, who went to prison for doing the same to sheldon kennedy. Theoren wallace theo fleury born june 29, 1968 is a canadian former professional ice hockey player for the calgary flames, colorado avalanche, new york rangers and chicago blackhawks of the national hockey league nhl, tappara of finlands smliiga, and the belfast giants of uks elite ice hockey league. Playing with fire is the best selling autobiography of former national hockey league nhl player theoren fleury. Fleury was surprised that his story became the topselling nonfiction book in canada. Theoren fleury bio, facts, family famous birthdays.
Fleurys account of abuse is detailed in an autobiography called playing with fire that is. Both the fleury story and your subsequent book on bob probert devote a lot of time to chronicling their respective battles with drugs and alcohol. Im glad theo is clean and doing well mentally now, but in the second half of the book. After the book ends with theo fleury you may have thought you knew everything about theo fleury, author of playing with fire, hockey player, olympic medalist, and mental health advocate. In his memoir, playing with fire, canadian hockey player theo fleury candidly outlines his mental health and addiction struggles. But in the waning months of 2009, the hockey world was shocked to read fleurys biography not only detailing a life of sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a coach, but of his life of crime. Fleury had made the gesture of firing a machine gun at the soviet bench with his hockey stick and during the second round, one of the players in. Harrowing details from his new book and interview with the retired nhl star. That led to a feature length documentary for hbo and a oneman play kirstie wrote. For hockey fans who perhaps lost track of fleurys story in recent years, these talking points may seem surprising. Theo fleury and kim barthel kick off conversations with a rattlesnake book tour. He married his second wife, jennifer, after she helped him through a rough time. I sat down with fleury on wednesday to talk about his second book, conversations with a rattlesnake more on that soon on sportsnet.
But he overcame those obstacles and now is a motivational speaker, an advocate for sexual abuse victims, and author of his second book, conversations with a rattlesnake. Book with magellan luxury hotels and you can help support theo fleury in his mission to help others. Theo fleury is teaching us how to heal psychology today. Drafted out of the quebec major junior hockey league qmjhl first overall by the pittsburgh penguins in the 2003 nhl entry draft, fleury played major junior for four seasons with the cape breton screaming eagles, earning.
Dark personal issues began to surface and drinking, drugs, gambling, and girls ultimately derailed his hall of famecaliber career. Theo fleury finds new life in country music sports. Named after fleurys first book, playing with fire, the event, at the westlock and district community hall was focused towards mens mental health, dealing with past trauma and getting help when its required. Theo fleury claims sexual abuse by junior hockey coach in. In playing with fire, theo fleury takes us behind the bench during his glorious days as an nhl player, and talks about growing up devastatingly poor and in chaos at home. In 2014, fleury and barthel turned their talks into his second book, conversations with a rattlesnake. He describes a history of emotional distanceneglect from his parents when he was a child, and sexual abuse as a teen by a coach and supposed mentor. One of her bestknown books, theo fleurys playing with fire, was on the national bestsellers list for more than 52 weeks. Second half of the book started to wear on me, lost interest a bit. Theo fleury details sexual abuse by hockey coach ctv news. Theo fleury won a world junior title, a turner cup, a stanley cup as a rookie with the calgary flames, and later a canada cup and an olympic gold medal. On theo fleurys drug and alcoholaddled memories, and. Its been five years since he released his first book, playing with fire, detailing his battles with sexual abuse sustained at the.
Theo fleury talks sobriety, sexual abuse, healing with. Theo fleury book a raw glimpse into life in the ultrafast lane the star. Playing with fire by theo fleury, kirstie mclellan day. Theo fleury hopes to help, heal through conversations. Since his autobiography, fleury has released a second book, become a motivational speaker and proud activist, and founded the victor walk. Theoren fleury is a retired professional hockey player.
Theo fleury will be the first to tell you hes a changed man. The november 2014 release of conversations with a rattlesnake coauthored by occupational therapist kim barthel is the second book by fleury, following 2010s playing with fire. End layer video games with collectors edition, theo wanne saxophones, international edition nonfiction books, 1st edition books for children, theo metal unisex eyeglass frames, theo fleury hockey trading cards. Founded by former nhl player, theoren fleury, fleury enterprises mission is to help people overcome any obstacle by igniting. Theoren wallace theo fleury born june 29, 1968 is a canadian former. He was also part of the team that won the 1991 canada cup and finished in second place five years later at. The annual walk functions as a means to raise awareness about childhood sexual abuse, and to help transform. The statement indicated it was much the same with the second victim.
Theo fleury book a raw glimpse into life in the ultrafast lane. In family court, he relied on statements that he had lost his hockey fortune to bad investments to reduce his child support. Former nhl star theo fleury chronicles his spiritual journey in a new book called conversations with a rattlesnake, cowritten with therapist kim barthel. It is the second book about fleury s life, following fury, released in 1997, which did not discuss many of the problems he was facing at the time. Between 1988 and 2003, the 5foot6inch winger sniped 455 goals in the nhl and amassed 1,840 penalty minutes. Past trauma no longer rules theo fleurys life stalberttoday. The cover of theo fleurys new book, conversations with a rattlesnake. Fleurys autobiography, playing with fire, cowritten by kirstie mclellan day, was released in 2009. Dark personal issues began to surface, and drinking, drugs, gambling, and girls ultimately derailed a. Theo fleury looks to second career helping others the.
Former calgary flames star and bestselling author, theo fleury, releases his second book, a conversation with a rattlesnake. Former calgary flames star and bestselling author, theo. In playing with fire, fleury described a family environment in which there. Theoren wallace theo fleury born june 29, 1968 is a canadian former professional ice. Theo fleury book a raw glimpse into life in the ultrafast. Book your next hotel with magellan luxury hotels and we will donate a percentage of the booking to support theo fleury s initiative, helping those who have suffered relational trauma turn their lives around. Stories of the game, and kelly hrudeys calling the shots. Theres a certain irony to theo fleurys new book, playing with fire. Former nhl star theo fleury says he was sexually abused by his junior hockey coach, graham james. Former nhler theo fleury s second book, conversations with a rattlesnake, chronicles his healing process after disclosing years of sexual abuse and th.
A former player with the colorado avalanche, the new york rangers, and the chicago blackhawks, he is now a motivational speaker and businessman. Theo is one of canadas most indemand speakers and celebritys his. It is the second book about fleurys life, following fury, released in 1997, which did. Dark personal issues began to surface, and drinking, drugs, gambling, and girls ultimately derailed a career that had him destined for the hall of fame. It is the second book about fleurys life, following fury, released in 1997, which did not discuss many of the problems he was facing at the time. Following the release of his mindblowing first book, playing with fire, theo fleury joins forces with worldrenowned therapist kim barthel in a new book, conversations with a rattlesnake, coming out november 2014. Former nhler theo fleurys second book, conversations with a rattlesnake, chronicles his healing process after disclosing years of sexual. Im glad theo is clean and doing well mentally now, but in the second half of the book i got a lot of feelings that he is an egomaniac who is somewhat dissolutioned from reality. Theo fleurys playing with fire, bob proberts tough guy, ron macleans cornered and hockey towns, wayne gretzkys 99. The leica book second edition, theo kisselbach ebay. Former nhl star theo fleury looks to second career. Theoren wallace theo fleury is a canadian former professional ice hockey player. In playing with fire, theo fleury takes us behind the bench duri. But i bet you will learn a little more in this episode.
Fleury battled drug and alcohol addictions and sexual abuse at the hands of disgraced hockey coach graham james. Nhl winger known as theo who won a gold medal with team canada at the 2002 olympics in utah. The book, which rocked the hockey world as surely as andre agassis recent memoir rocked tennis, is best known as the place where fleury. It is the second book about fleurys life, following fury, released in 1997. Perhaps best known for his time on the ice as an nhl hockey champion, theos most important work has been accomplished outside of the rink. It is written as a dialogue between the two authors, about healing from trauma. Overview me too workshops onetoone coaching custom time with theo events blog podcast store. In playing with fire, now in trade paperback, theo fleury takes us behind the bench during his glorious days as an nhl player, and talks about growing up devastatingly poor and in chaos at home. Theoren theo fleury was born in oxbow, saskatchewan, and grew up in the small town of russell, manitoba, the eldest of three boys. Fleury was suspended 25 games in 2002 for violating the nhls substance abuse policy and suspended indefinitely for a second offence in 2003, his.