NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After years of struggling with addiction, a man changed his life in a truly dramatic way. He's now launching into the new year with a plan to share his story with as many people as possible.
"To have a body that works, a mind that thinks, and a heart that still desires to do good, it's a great life right now," said Todd Crandell, speaking after running nine miles through downtown Nashville.
"I do some form of swimming, biking, running at least six days out of the week," he added.
That's in spite of whatever's happening outside including bitter cold. Consistency is a big part of Crandell's story. It's a hard journey that began when he was a child growing up in Toledo, Ohio.
"I would say my story begins with the suicide of my mom when I was three-years-old because of her drug addiction," Crandell began.
Addiction effected several people in Crandell's family. It entered his life when he was only 13.
"I took my first sip of alcohol," he remembered. "It escalated to cocaine, heroin, jails, homelessness, everything addiction brings, I experienced it. I believe everybody that is battling addiction is doing so from some type of trauma. There are a lot of less fortunate people on the streets of Nashville. I look at them with a lot of empathy because I've been there. I've been that homeless person. After getting my third drunk driving charge back in '93, I just simply said, 'that's enough.'"
It was that point his focus changed to something else.
"In 1999, I did my first IRONMAN, and I never looked back!" Crandell said.
The events are intense. The IRONMAN 70.3 is a swim of more than a mile, bike riding for 56 miles, and a 13-mile marathon run. In this, Crandell thrived.
"I've become a 128-time IRONMAN triathlon finisher," he said.
His life transformation is even bigger than that. 25 years ago, he began his non-profit Racing For Recvoery.
"I'm a licensed professional clinical counselor, so we work with people on an intellectual, emotional, spiritual level," Crandell said.
2026 is about to be a big year for Crandell. Nashville is his first stop on a tour of promoting his seventh book, Elevate.
"I'm doing ten IRONMAN races around the world," Crandell said. "Everywhere I go, I promote our books. As I was running this morning, I was thinking of the three words that are the foundation of my sobriety, and that's empathy, humility, and gratitude. I never thought I would be doing what I'm doing right now back when I was using drugs. With sobriety anything is possible."
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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