Bay Area family who lost son to steroids: McGwire can help more
VACAVILLE — Vacaville residents Frank and Brenda Marrero were there in March 2005, when a red-faced Mark McGwire told a congressional panel he didn't want to "talk about the past." Now that McGwire finally admitted he used steroids during his Major League Baseball career, Frank Marrero — whose 19-year-old son, Efrain, committed suicide three weeks after stopping steroids cold turkey — said McGwire needs to do more.
"We knew he had used steroids and we were there in Washington where it was evident he felt guilty and didn't want to say it," Marrero said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "It's good that he did come forward and admit it, but he needs to go further and join forces with foundations like ours to warn young people a the dangers of steroid use." The Marreros formed the nonprofit Efrain Anthony Marrero Foundation in memory of their son, who took his life in September 2004. He left no explanation and had no history of depression. It was only after his death that the Marreros learned that quitting steroids outright — as they demanded when they found Efrain was using them — can lead to depression and suicide.
Their foundation is dedicated to sharing such information with youths and parents in the hopes of saving them from "the devastation of steroids." "We all make mistakes," Frank Marrero said. "But we can correct it, and Mark could help bring that message." Also at the 2005 hearing were the parents of another Bay Area family with a similar tragic story: Raymond and Denise Garibaldi.
Their son Rob, a former star high school outfielder in Petaluma who went on to play at USC, told them he took steriods to emulate stars like Barry Bonds and McGwire.
He shot himself to death in October 2002.
In his interview with The Associated Press on Monday, McGwire made note of the March 2005 hearing and the families, like the Marreros, who sat directly behind him as he declined to comment on his use of steroids.
"That was the worst 48 hours of my life, going through that, but I had to listen to the advice of my attorneys," he said. "To repeat that 'I don't want to talk about the past' and then to have the family members, Don Hooton (of Texas) and his family — the other families sat there, and every time I'd say, 'I'm not going to talk about the past,' I'd hear moanings back there. It was absolutely ripping my heart out." Marrero, whose family story made national news, including coverage in the New York Times, said hearing those comments offered some comfort.
"When we were there, as a family, we were still in such tremendous pain," he recalled. "When he would say he didn't want to talk about it, it was disappointing and painful. So to know that he recognized that and that we've been on his mind, is good to know." Donald Hooton, whose son also committed suicide after using steroids, was among those McGwire called Monday to discuss his admission "I do think he can make a good spokesman on this topic," Hooton said. "Who better to describe what it's like to go to the mountain top and now to be at the depths of the deepest valley for a mistake you made several years ago?" Marrero agreed.
"We are a forgiving nation and family. We don't want to crucify anybody but just get the information out to our children, to keep this from happening to others," he said. "Efrain didn't have that chance." Asked what he would say to McGwire if he had the chance, Marrero's comments were more pointed.
"I would just say that our son looked up to you. You are part of the reason why he used steroids," he said. "There is no way you could have known that. But you were a role model and because you used steroids, he did and he lost his life.
"Now we need to work together to alert people, to do the best we can to prevent this from happening to anyone else."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
