Ian Dryden, who trains at the Bannatyne health club in Ingleby Barwick, is celebrating after reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro following a long battle with mental health issues.
In July 2018, Ian’s ten-year long marriage ended which led to a significant decline in his mental health, causing him to attempt suicide on two separate occasions.
Depressed and weighing almost 20 stones, Ian knew he needed to turn his life around. Crediting The Samaritans with saving his life, Ian found a new focus after astounding family and friends by booking to climb Kilimanjaro. He embarked on a fitness regime at the Ingleby Barwick health club to lose weight and improve his mental health and overall wellbeing.
Ian said: “I really wanted to give something back to The Samaritans, who were there at the lowest point of my life to listen while I talked and cried. It’s not too strong to say they saved my life.
“My self-esteem was at an all time low, I felt worthless and I had no fight left in me. Fast forward to New Year’s Day 2020 and there I was standing on 5,895 metres above sea level at the summit of the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.
“I’ve had tremendous support from everyone at Bannatyne’s in Ingleby Barwick who have been so supportive to me as I trained for this major challenge. Fitness is so important to both physical and mental wellbeing and I’d also encourage anyone struggling with their feelings to talk, talk, talk. The Samaritans are always available, they’re non-judgemental and they just listen, which is what I needed at the time.
“I don’t know what my next project will be but it’ll have some way to go to beat scaling Kilimanjaro!”