Brendan’s addiction led to him surviving in a tent, feeling worthless and forgotten, embarrassed and ashamed. At six feet tall, he weighed just eight stone and was a shadow of himself. In just two years, he has completely turned his life around. With the support of his family and Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI), this September Brendan will represent Ireland in the Homeless World Cup in South Korea.
For many people who are homeless, addiction isn’t very far away. Sometimes addiction is what brings people into homelessness. For others, the trauma of being homeless can send them into a downward spiral. This can result in a rapid decline in mental health, which in turn can lead to taking drugs to be able to cope, or in some cases, to be able to sleep.
Brendan, former Merchants Quay Ireland client explains “I had tried many times to become drug free. This time was different, I was physically and mentally broken, I’d given up. I used to pray to my brother who died, ‘please just get me, just take me’. One night, my two sisters came looking for me with torches. They brought me home to their house and got me into treatment. That was the start of my recovery journey, and I haven’t looked back.”
After completing MQI’s Aftercare Service, Brendan reignited his love of football and joined The Irish Homeless Street Leagues. The organisation uses the power of sport to transform the lives of individuals from underprivileged, poorly educated, socially excluded, and conflicted communities.
Brendan continues“We had trials recently and they picked four of us to go to the Homeless World Cup in South Korea. Once you stay drug-fee, anything in life is possible, I’m living proof of that. I gave up on myself, but my family never gave up on me. Now, I have a job, I have an incredible support network around me and I’m very grateful for that.”
The Homeless World Cup will be held in Asia for the first time, at Hanyang University, Seol from 21-28 of September. The event aims to help participants move ‘from feeling forgotten to being celebrated on a global stage’.
Carol Casey, Head of Communications and Fundraising at MQI concludes “We admire Brendan’s bravery for sharing his story, as one of the biggest obstacles our clients face is stigma. So, we hope Brendan’s incredible journey highlights that there is always hope, and recovery from addiction is always possible, when people are given the right support. We are constantly in awe of the resilience of our clients and the adversities they overcome to become drug free. Recovery from addiction is a long road, a huge achievement and should be celebrated. We are very proud of Brendan and all he has achieved. We wish him and the Irish team every success in South Korea.”
To donate to Merchants Quay Ireland, so the charity can continue to support those experiencing homelessness and addiction, please visit www.MQI.ie
Pic credit: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography
