Sympathy and prayers from golf fans worldwide were directed to the family of NBC/Golf Channel’s David Feherty on the loss of his oldest son, Shey, earlier this week as a result of a drug overdose at the age of 29. It’s incredibly tough to lose one of your children before you pass away. It is even harder to know that your son died from a battle with addictions that David Feherty knows all too well himself.
David Feherty is a former European PGA tour star from Northern Ireland who is best known for his entertaining interviews with golfers and celebrities who enjoying playing golf. His self-depreciating styled interview show on Golf Channel called “Feherty” recently filmed its 100th episode. The show features Feherty asking both irreverent and serious questions to people about both their golf game and their life. His page on Golf Channel’s website said his offbeat interview style has been likened to “a cross between Oprah Winfrey and Johnny Carson”. Regardless, the results are quite entertaining, and the show (now in its seventh season) remains very popular.
Though most of the shows are generally light-hearted, I remember a particular episode featuring an interview he had with legendary golfer, Tom Watson. During the show, David Feherty confessed that he had struggled for most of his adult life with alcohol and drug use. Tom Watson, who was a recovering alcoholic himself, pulled him aside after an on-course interview at a Champions Tour event several years ago and suggested that Feherty needed help – right now.
Tom Watson recognized Feherty’s look as being the same when Watson had been drinking. Jack Nicklaus then stepped-up and offered the use of his private jet to fly Feherty back to Watson’s ranch near Kansas City for a few days of professional counseling and to, effectively, dry out again. Much like Alcoholics Anonymous, Tom Watson has become David Feherty’s personal mentor should he ever consider starting to drink again.
During a fascinating interview last year with HBO’s Bryant Gumbel, David Feherty tells about his struggles with alcohol and drugs and, as part of his alcohol/drug recovery. learning that he had been suffering from untreated depression and bi-polar mental disorders. He credits his second wife, Anita, with putting her foot down on his drinking about ten years ago, and Tom Watson’s intervention afterwards as helping to keep him on the straight-and-narrow.
Sadly, some of David Feherty’s personal demons were passed along to his son, Shey. According to a report, 29-year old Shey Feherty had been working as an entrepreneur in Dallas consulting on IT matters with other companies. The family asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Shey Feherty’s honor be made to the Center for Addiction and Recovery Studies in Dallas.
David Feherty’s only public comment this week has been a tweet: “My first born son is gone from me, dying from an overdose on his 29th birthday. Bless his sweet heart, I will fight on”.
For those of us who have family members who are currently dealing with alcohol and drug-related addictions, this tragic story really hits home. Prayers for David Feherty and his entire family.