Darryl Strawberry Inspires with Sermon on Addiction and Faith

Holtsville, New York — Former New York Mets player Darryl Strawberry delivered a powerful sermon at a local church on Sunday, addressing important themes of addiction, fatherhood, and faith. Strawberry, who helped the Mets secure their second World Series championship in 1986, has traded in his baseball bat for a preacher’s microphone as he travels to inspire others.

During the service, Strawberry emphasized the significance of personal struggles, sharing, “I know I’m here for a reason. This is your season to be here, too.” He reflected on his past, admitting the challenges he faced in the spotlight, including battles with addiction. “Being so young and thrust into the New York spotlight, don’t get me wrong, I loved it. But celebrities, most of us are broken,” he told Newsday.

Strawberry’s career not only includes his time with the Mets but also stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, where he won multiple titles. Despite his successes, he faced serious hurdles like drug and alcohol addiction, surviving cancer twice, and enduring a heart attack.

After rebuilding his life post-baseball, Strawberry, alongside his wife Tracy, founded a ministry aimed at helping others recover from their struggles with addiction and brokenness. He shared, “I’m not chasing after fans, fortune… I want souls to be saved,” reflecting his new mission.

Mets fans filled the congregation, many donning jerseys with Strawberry’s iconic No. 18. Among them was Michelle Thomas from Bethpage, who brought her son Dylan, saying, “As a kid, I loved Strawberry. He was my favorite player. Now my kid is how old I was when I started watching. He plays baseball and he’s number 18.”

Another attendee, Odalis Urena from Baldwin, reminisced about witnessing Strawberry’s talent on the field, stating, “Darryl was that one superstar we had.”

As the service concluded, Strawberry took time to greet parishioners and sign autographs. Children played with a football outside, while one proudly displayed a signed sheet of paper. Strawberry expressed his gratitude for his current happiness, stating, “It’s a blessing when you finally get to that place in life, and you’re happy. I played baseball for so long, and there were happy moments, but it wasn’t the joy of being free.”