NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A local man is about to take on one incredible athletic feat. Will he finish it? He says he's driven by the gratitude to be alive.
It was an early Monday morning in Middle Tennessee, but that wasn't slowing training for Evan Lee.
"I was raised in a family of athletes," Evan said, taking a break from cycling. "I grew up around sports. I grew up around competition. I grew up around teams. I like doing things where I can push myself on my own terms."
Something Evan knows is life is no easy ride. As a teen, training revolved around a different sport.
"I ran track and field and cross country," said Evan. "It made me feel unique to dive into endurance athletics at a young age. I loved racing. I loved winning. It makes me feel good."
Because of his success there, Evan said he didn't take seriously his growing addiction to drugs and alcohol. When a sprained ankle made him unable to run for months, he said he lost his focus and purpose.
"With nothing to do, a drug addict's going to use drugs," Evan said. "I consistently ruined family events, ruined holidays, ruined anything and everything. I was going to die of alcohol poisoning if they hadn't gotten me to the hospital. I couldn't keep my real life and my drug use apart."
The change for Evan was when he came to Arch Academy.
"Arch stands for Adolescent Recovery at Cumberland Heights," Evan continued. "It is the youth program of the Cumberland Heights family."
Six years sober, Evan is now a clinical associate there.
He's about to use that drive born from that family of athletes for the single greatest test of endurance he's ever faced.
Friday, Evan will be cycling the loop at Cornelia Fort Air Park.
"My ultimate goal is 12 hours, 220 miles," he said.
Pushing himself to his limit, Evan's taking donations and dollars pledged for every mile he completes to donate to Arch Academy.
"It's really in honor of this place that changed and saved my life and also gives me an opportunity to change and save others," said Evan. "I'm pulling from a source that's not me. Each pedal stroke is going to be for those boys, and for the company that saved my life. I'll pull up from the handlebars and look around and realize just how lucky I am to be able to do this, to have the body to do this. It's just a ton of gratitude. This whole thing's about human connection. It's about bringing people together to reach large goals."
If you'd like to donate to Evan's ride for Arch Academy, text ARCHLIFE to 44-321. You can also donate to Evan here or here.
