An Amazing Story of a Transformed Life at Union Gospal Mission
Senor Manager at the Union Gospal Mission Dwayne Benson emailed our CEO Kevin McCrum to inform us of an amazing story that unfolded at the UGM:
Years of alcoholism and drug addiction once had Brendan McLellan homeless, depressed and suicidal. Today, however, he wants to give back to the Union Gospel Mission, which he says saved his life, by raising money in the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon. “This is a really fantastic opportunity for me to be able to raise funds and help the UGM for such a vital cause,” he said. McLellan had a happy childhood and a college education. He was also a lifelong athlete. “I was always playing sports. It was one big party. My friends were drinking.... I was surrounded by alcohol.” Years later, his mother’s diagnosis and eventual death from cancer hit him hard. A dependence on crack cocaine led him to lose his job, home and family. “I was at that point where I knew I was either going to kill myself or try recovery one last time,” he says. Thirteen months ago, he was accepted to the Union Gospel Mission recovery program. Now he’s an outreach worker for UGM. He will run the half-marathon on June 26 to raise money for its women’s and family programs. “Nobody ever decided when they were a child that ‘I want to grow up to be a drug addict,’” McLellan said. “People need to help out here. You can’t give up on people.”
-Courtesy of Metro News
To make a donation towards Brendan's running in the Scotia Bank Half Marathon you can visit: