Quit or Die? –
August 18, 2020 – “I couldn’t really see myself coming out of it.”
But come out of it he did, and a decade later, Clune is sharing his story in “Hi, My Name is Dicky,” a raw documentary available on iTunes and AppleTV that details his life from aspiring youth hockey player to out-of-control junior antagonist to pro athlete teetering on the edge — one consumed by drugs, alcohol and mental illness.
His journey to recovery started in earnest on that lonely stretch of highway.
“My brother really had to talk me off the ledge,” Clune said. “When I see his face and when I see my other brother Ben’s face, that’s what gave me strength to live, because I didn’t really want to live for myself at that time. “Matt, at a couple points on that drive, had to do things that no younger brother should have to do and really dig down deep and get me home.”
The documentary from Taylor Prestidge and Haris Usanovic of Upper Canada Films tracks Clune’s life and career, recovery and redemption. It includes interviews with Clune’s parents, brothers, teammates and coaches.
Clune was driven to be the best as a child, but the pressure led him down a dark path at early age.
“I made that decision I was going to put my head down and not see anything but being a hockey player,” Clune, who was selected in the third round of the 2005 NHL draft by the Dallas Stars, says in the film.
