LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — You can take the man out of Vegas, but you can't take Vegas out of the man.
Darren Waller is back and looking to continue serving this community through his foundation.
He might not be wearing Silver and Black anymore, but Waller says he still considers Vegas home and that he's just getting started giving back.
As part of his "Beyond the Wall" fundraiser, Waller has organized silent and live auctions with some coveted sports memorabilia, which will fund substance abuse recovery grants.
"It's an honor that people look to me as an example because I'm an imperfect man," Waller said.
Those grants provide all-expense-paid inpatient and outpatient recovery treatment, along with sober living housing for patients ages 18-26.
Waller has been open about his substance abuse recovery path and says he hopes to continue being an example for those who are dealing with that silent battle now.
"I still have my own struggles. I still try to figure life out — try to go through it and enjoy it and be the best person that I can be," he said. "I just try to give them a real picture of what that looks like. There may be some mistakes, maybe some failures, but at the end of the day, I'm trying to get to be that man that I know I can be, and I feel like these people that are getting these scholarships are being the same thing — being the men and women that people in their lives need them to be and that they know they can be. It's cool to see them on that growth path."
