Former Buff Finds Another Identity After Suffering From Depression
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Former Colorado Buffalo safety Nick Fisher has been playing football since he was 4 years old. So, suiting up for the Buffs in the Pac-12 was a dream come true.
"I grew up watching USC and Oregon, I remember seeing Marcus Mariotta playing," said Fisher. "Now to get chance to play against teams like that is crazy."
That dream quickly became a harsh reality. Playing time was scarce during his first few seasons. There were personal and relationship problems and all of a sudden, the guy who seemed to have it all was battling depression.
"Being a football player, being a male it's like those feelings don't exist for you," Fisher said. "It's like what do you mean you're depressed? What do you have to be depressed about? You're a dude, you're not supposed to have those type of feelings."
Nick needed an outlet away from football. So he dove into something he began way back in elementary school.
"I felt like poetry was my outlet. I could just say anything I want to in the poems, convey myself however and it just felt like talking," said the senior from Temecula, California. "Sometimes I would spend nights writing, writing, writing and feel like I had a good conversation and just decompress."
Nick first started jotting down his poems in a notebook. Then in late February, he took 140 of the poems and self-published "Crimson Vapor."
"There are a lot of past coaches, players and friends who are hitting me up," added Fisher. "It's very overwhelming, but I couldn't ask for anything better."
Nick still dreams of playing professional football, it's just now that's not his only aspiration.
"I felt like I'm really passionate about it and finding another identity outside of football is really nice," said Fisher.
Depression proved to be no match for the new Nick Fisher, the pigskin playing poet.