Leader and Legend: Kevin McDonald's Journey from Troubled Youth to Founder of a Landmark Rehabilitation Program

In the midst of today's opioid epidemic, this story offers a beacon of hope.

After a tormented childhood, years of drug abuse, and conviction for armed robbery, Kevin McDonald had two choices: decades in prison or a long-term stint in rehab. Fortunately for himself and others, he chose the path to recovery. Leader and Legend chronicles Kevin's early life, his years at Delancey Street Foundation in San Francisco, and his founding of a landmark residential rehabilitation program in Durham, North Carolina.

Kevin's battle with addiction will resonate with many, and the groundbreaking treatment approach established under his leadership presents a promising alternative to those who share his struggle.

For additional information on this organization, see www.trosainc.org.

Proceeds from the sale of this book will support services at TROSA.

This beautifully written story of one man's descent into alcoholism, drug abuse, self-loathing, and criminality ends in victory, when Kevin McDonald finds freedom through the immeasurable power of a therapeutic community. By using his recovery to create TROSA, he has given countless others the ability to achieve purpose, meaning, and victory in their own lives.

The book is a powerful rendering of the complexity of addiction and recovery. Told with a quiet intensity and deeply felt gratitude by the mother of one of its graduates, it details how TROSA combines a therapeutic approach with social enterprise, teaching participants that by helping others, they help themselves. Now we, by reading it, can partake in the beauty of its call – "Each one, teach one" – and spread the news about a way out of the brokenness of addiction into a life of productivity and love.

— Mary Jo Gleason, appellate court staff attorney, retired

Advance Reviews

"Leader and Legend captures the incredible journey of Kevin McDonald, a man who has impacted the lives of thousands of people. The story traces Kevin's own struggle with addiction and the progression of TROSA from a therapeutic community (TC) model of rehabilitation to one with new treatment approaches that meet 'the psychosocial, physical, and educational needs of its residents.' The book is a fitting tribute to TROSA's 25th anniversary and the vision of a man who has helped countless people transform their lives."

— Larry Glasscock, former CEO, Anthem Healthcare

"In this time when many hunger for and take sanctuary in hope, the enduring truth of TROSA is hope realized. Kevin McDonald is a lifesaver. First, he saved himself through courage, grit, and determination; now, through TROSA, he is supporting many others in their quest to save themselves. The people of TROSA dare daily to enable each other to emerge from 'the Arena' as victors."

— Joseph O'Reilly, family court judge, retired

"As a pediatric and adolescent medicine specialist for more than three decades, I'm well versed in the problems of substance abuse. Kevin McDonald lived with those problems. With support and guidance, he overcame them and developed a program to help others do the same. Betsy Glaser's inspiring tribute to TROSA is an excellent description of the therapeutic community on which the program is based. As modified by Kevin, this model is certainly a program worthy of being replicated throughout the country. TROSA not only helps individuals overcome their addictions but also provides them with the skills they need to be successful and self-supporting. Kevin should be very proud of what he has accomplished. He is truly 'paying back.'"

— W. Sam Yancy, MD, former clinical professor of pediatrics and associate clinical professor of psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center

About the Author

Elizabeth McGoldrick Glaser is a retired pediatric nurse practitioner. She has worked at the University of Louisville, the National Institutes of Health, Duke University Medical Center, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Formerly a resident of Durham, she lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband, Dan.