Former Alabama offensive lineman Dayne Shor released a statement Thursday after entering the transfer portal.
Shor, a freshman early enrollee, said via Twitter he’s leaving Tuscaloosa for a fresh start while “dealing with the struggle of mental health.” The two-page statement says he’s been dealing with depression and anxiety for years.
“The feeling of wanting to take your own life is a feeling like no other, and a feeling I wish no one else to ever feel,” Shor wrote. “The voices in my head would often take control of my life.”
He said the peak of the issues occurred during his recruitment when he ultimately chose Alabama over the likes of Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
“At that time, nobody knew what was happening deep down inside of me,” he said. “People that struggle with mental pain find ways to hide in plain sight. A lot of people would say I have the ‘perfect life’ or that “I have everything going for me.’”
Shor came to Alabama as a four-star recruit from Alpharetta, Georgia’s Denmark High School. He also spent a year at IMG Academy before returning home to Georgia for his senior year.
Football, Shor said, ultimately saved his life. He also credited the Herren Project and Herren Wellness for taking him into their Massachusetts substance abuse treatment facility. Its founder, former star basketball player Chris Herren, was a preseason camp speaker for the Crimson Tide football team in 2012 and 2014 and his son, Chris Herren Jr., was a walk-on receiver last season at Alabama.
“I also want to express my sincere appreciation to the staff, doctors and coaches at the University of Alabama for giving me the means and opportunity to better myself through the Herren Project,” he wrote. “With that being said, I have decided to give myself a fresh new start in both academics and athletics by leaving the University of Alabama and entering the transfer portal.”
Shor is the 18th Alabama player to enter the transfer portal since last season.
See his full statement released on Twitter.
If you or someone you know is suffering from suicidal ideation, call the national suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or contact the Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resources Coalition.
Resources in Alabama
- Crisis Center, Inc. (Birmingham) Phone: (205) 323-7777 Kids Help Line: (205) 328-KIDS (5437)Teen Link: (205) 328-LINK (5465)Senior Talk Line: (205) 328-TALK (8255) Hours of Operation: 24/7
- Crisis Services of North Alabama (Huntsville) Phone: (256) 716-1000 Toll Free: (800) 691-8426 Hours of Operation: 24/7
- Lifelines/Family Counseling Center of Mobile Phone: (251) 431-5111 Toll Free: (800) 293-1117 Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CST) Monday-Friday
