Hughes & Coleman Hometown Hero: Aaron Brown

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - People suffering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol know how powerful it can be. They may think they are managing their addiction on their own, but in reality, it is the addiction managing them.

Addiction counselors help those with substance abuse disorders achieve and maintain sobriety.

Aaron Brown is the Director of Recovery Services at the Men’s Addiction Recovery Campus (MARC) and has positively impacted the lives of numerous community members battling addiction.

Lucas Manning, a MARC Center Alumni, recalls the day he showed up for recovery and met Aaron.

“Whenever I first came in, I was broken,” he said. “I didn’t really think I’d ever be a normal functioning person.”

Brown and the staff at the MARC show every resident of the facility patience and compassion as they transition from active addiction to recovery.

In March 2017, Brown went to the MARC for addiction treatment and was inspired to help others with their addictions. He says that the past five years have been an amazing journey for him and that he has grown into a person that he never thought was possible. Working for MARC is a way for him to give back to the community that saved his life, and he wants every client that enters the facility to feel that same gratitude.

“Since coming to this program, helping people and giving back has become a priority for me,” Brown said.

Brown also explained that every member of his staff is also in recovery which allows them to relate to and help every client in the facility.

He credits his staff’s dedication and commitment to the success of MARC and those that have successfully graduated from the program.

“This organization is not a one-man project. I have an amazing team of staff members that I’ve been working with for years now,” he said.

Helping the clients re-enter the community as productive citizens is his goal but he also realizes that the community also has to see the clients as more than just addicts.

When the tornadoes struck Bowling Green in December, Brown gathered the residents of MARC, and they went into the community to aid in clean-up and rebuilding efforts. Every client at the center went out and helped the community in those weeks after the storm.

There are some that are struggling with addiction that may be reluctant to seek recovery services. Recovery is a difficult road to travel, but dedicated counselors will help and let them know that they are not alone.

“When they come here ultimately, they’re putting their lives in our hands,” Brown said. “All we try to do is surround those clients with love and support.”

MARC is an inpatient substance abuse recovery program for adult men seeking recovery from substance abuse and addiction. The facility is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky and is a non-profit organization and an affiliate of the Recovery Kentucky Initiative.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are numerous resources available to help begin that journey of recovery. For more information, you can call the Addiction Recovery Helpline at 888-503-1323.

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