Comedian to Speak on Alcohol Awareness at Penn State Behrend
Gershe tells of surviving a drunk-driving accident at just 8 weeks of age
Michael Gershe’s life took an unexpected turn before he had a chance to really live at all. Gershe will present “The Magic of Life,” an alcohol awareness program that encourages its attendees to realize their potential and live their dreams.
With “The Magic of Life,” Gershe tells his own story about the tragic drunk-driving accident that killed his mother, and almost took his own life, when he was just shy of two months old.
The program will be held on Tuesday, October 7, at 7 p.m., in Reed Union Building’s McGarvey Commons. It is free and open to the public.
As he talks about the drunk-driving accident that changed his life, Gershe tells the emotional and inspirational story about how his family was hit by a drunk driver when he was just an infant. Gershe survived, but suffered a fractured skull and had nearly every bone in his body broken.
Gershe utilizes his skills as a stand-up comedian to present the peaks and valleys of his story in a program that strikes a balance with both humor and seriousness, engaging the audience to experience his emotional rollercoaster.
The presentation will include a videotape of Gershe with his mother and brother, taken shortly before the incident, as well as the topics of binge drinking, peer pressure and other dangers associated with alcohol abuse.
Gershe’s Penn State Behrend appearance is sponsored by the Health and Wellness Center and the Student Activity Fee. For more information, contact the center at 814-898-6217.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, is a comprehensive residential college offering 34 baccalaureate, six associate, four pre-professional and two graduate degree programs with 22 minors to more than 4,400 students. Focused on providing a student-centered environment, Penn State Behrend is the link that connects its students to a major research and land-grant institution on a campus enriched by more than 110 clubs and organizations, 21 NCAA varsity teams and 19 intramural sports.
Penn State Behrend is named in recognition of a donation by Mary Behrend, widow of Ernst Behrend, who founded the Hammermill Paper Co. in Erie in 1898. The Behrend family lived on the 400-acre Glenhill Farm, which is the core of the Penn State Behrend campus today. For more information, visit behrend.psu.edu.