Growing Up Farley: A Story of Addiction, Love and Forgiveness

TOM FARLEY grew up in Madison and graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in Marketing.  He began his career in banking and finance, living and working in the New York City area.  From 1999 to 2012, he ran The Chris Farley Foundation, a nationally recognized non-profit dedicated to substance abuse prevention. Like his brother, Tom was successful in opening the “eyes and ears” of youth audiences through the powerful and effective use of humor.  In 2008 he wrote “The Chris Farley Show”, a New York Time bestselling biography of his late brother, the actor and comedian Chris Farley.  In his Rotary presentation, Tom will chronicle his lifelong journey with his brother, Chris. Touching on lessons learned from Chris and his struggles with addiction, Tom will begin by speaking about his brother’s addiction and the affects it had on his family, and specifically, himself. He will discuss his own journey in recovery and his work as an advocate for those with substance use disorders. Using humor, the family gift, Tom approaches these difficult topics with compassion, generosity, and honesty.