Addict turned triathlete Todd Crandall will share his story of overcoming a 13-year addiction to drugs and alcohol with the community during a program tonight at LifePlex in Plymouth. Crandall is the founder and president of Racing for Recovery. It’s a nonprofit organization that strives to save lives and improve the quality of life for addicts and their friends and family by promoting a lifestyle of health, fitness and sobriety. Crandall first tried alcohol at age 13 to cope with the depression and confusion of his mother’s suicide 10 years earlier due to her struggles with addiction. For the next 13 years Crandall says he tried every type of drug he could get his hands on before making the decision to quit.
“By the grace of God – that sounds so cliché, but it’s true – and I wasn’t raised in a religious upbringing, but I do believe that God, and I’m going to say my Mom, had something in there that told me on April 15th of 1993, after getting my third drunk driving charge, that’s it. I wanted something better, and that was all it took was that notion in my head that I wanted something better. Then I put the work into rebuilding my life,” Crandall said.
He has a message for anyone struggling with an addiction.
“With sobriety, anything is possible. I am spiritually fed. I’m educated. I have a family. I’m physically fit. I’m emotionally healing, and life is awesome. That all takes place if you make one choice to stop using drugs. To someone who is hurting, that all takes place if you stop using drugs. There is help, but you have to do what is offered to you.”
Crandall encourages anyone who is trying to overcome an addiction to ask for help. He says asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Rather he says asking for help exhibits strength and courage. Crandall says weakness is still thinking you can kick your habit on your own or drinking to deal with your problems. He adds asking for help to overcome a crippling addiction is the best thing you can do. Crandall is speaking tonight at 6 p.m. EDT at LifePlex in Plymouth. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
