MOKENA (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - This week's Difference Maker features a suburban boxing gym helping those fighting addiction.
At BVL Boxing Solutions in Mokena, fighters love to spar.
But, the fight they're fighting goes far beyond the ring. The gym is dedicated to helping people battling drug and alcohol addiction.
“Everybody that's on staff has either lost someone to addiction battle or has someone in the middle of one,” says Brian Leonard.
The gym is named for his son, Brian Jr., who died on March 20, 2024, at the age of 38.
“He passed because of drugs, might not have been an overdose that day, but the wear and tear on his body,” Leonard says.
He says Brian struggled with addiction for years.
“It was numerous drugs, opioids to fentanyl,” he says.
When Brian passed, his family wanted to do something to honor him and help others. His brother Joe came up with the idea for a boxing gym since Brian loved to box.
The gym opened on Jan. 2, which would've been Brian Jr's 39th birthday, and his father says it's already making a difference, with one member recently telling staff coming to the gym makes their day go a little better.
Leonard says giving their members a purpose gives his family a purpose too.
“If we can keep some parents from getting that phone call, then we win,” says Leonard. “We're not therapists, we're not counselors, but we're not afraid to become good friends.”
BVL Boxing Solutions is a WBBM Difference Maker.
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