After The Impact, Living Life On The Offense
Thursday, May 19th
9:30 am – 10:45 am
Impact can mean many things, the sound of a car accident, the collision of a football helmet, and the explosion of an IED are a few. It is also the change of life circumstances that cause an individual to be unable to take care of themselves. After the impact is time when help is needed and advocacy and guardians are needed. Stressful for the individuals and family, it is also a stressful time for caregivers and Guardians. Living life on the offense means we have a game plan for these stressful times, caregivers and guardians can operate in these transitions and maintain mental fitness and resiliency.
Eric Hipple is a former National Football League (NFL) quarterback whose ten year career was spent with the Detroit Lions. Hipple’s accomplishments include two playoff bids, a divisional championship, and the Detroit Lion’s most valuable player award for the ‘81season. He is currently ranked fifth in career passing yards for Detroit. From 1995-2000 Hipple was color analyst for the FOX NFL pre-game show in Detroit. Since his 15-year-old son Jeff’s suicide, Hipple has devoted his life to building awareness and breaking down the stigma surrounding depressive illnesses. Hipple recently received prestigous University of Michigan 2015 Nuebacher Award for work with stigma associated with disabilities, the Detroit Lions 2010 Courage House award, he also received the prestigious 2008 Life Saver Achievement award given by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and was awarded a presidential citation at the American Psychological Association’s 2006 Annual Convention for his six years of national community-based work combating adolescent depression and suicide prevention. His message of resilience has provided mental fitness awareness to professional groups, military, law enforcement, schools, communities and through the “Under the Helmet” program, thousands of high schools and youth coaches across the country. In conjunction with U.S. Fleet Forces, he has provided workshops on suicide prevention during the last four years by focusing on positive Mental Fitness. He co-authored a study examining depression among retired football players. The study appeared in the April 2007 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. His book “Real Men Do Cry” received a publisher Presidential Award. Hipple currently serves as Outreach Specialist for Eisenhower Center’s “After The Impact” program, a nuero-behavioral reisdential treatment facility serving military veterans and former NFL players. He is Liaison to the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center where he spent the last eleven years in outreach. He and his wife Shelly live in Fenton, Michigan.