Darren LeBlanc with his late wife Misty LONG BRANCH — A city man has launched a charity in honor of his deceased wife to help those affected by life-threatening illnesses.
Darren LeBlanc founded Anthem of Hope in memory of his wife, Misty, who passed away on Sept. 23, 2008, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.
“It’s a multimedia organization,” LeBlanc said of the nonprofit.
According to LeBlanc, Anthem of Hope “tackles spiritual needs, meaning the funds being raised will go toward producing aids that help people cope with their problems and remain faith-filled and hopeful.”
LeBlanc launched a website in April and is prepping his first project, which is due out later this summer.
“The first product is the ‘Encouragement’ disc,” he said in an interview. “It’s an audio disc of scripture from the Bible, with readings of faith and healing based on passages set to original music.”
The disc will be packaged for purchase sometime in the fall, but LeBlanc plans to unveil it with a free download next month.
“We are looking for the prerelease sometime in August,” he said, “meaning it will be available for free on the website.
“Then sometime after that, we will have hard copies available for purchase,” he added. “It will be a gift package, which will include the CD as well as the journal with written copies of the scriptures.”
The disc features Bible readings, but one of the most challenging parts of the production was finding the right voice to read the scriptures, he said.
“We interviewed about 200 voice talents and chose the best three to read the scriptures,” he said.
“The production quality will be great,” LeBlanc said. ”
LeBlanc explained that he started blogging about his wife’s story while she was struggling with her illness, and through that struggle, they both came out of it as faith-filled people.
“We were in a very dark place then,” he said. “Home was dark and depressing.
“We decided to make changes in life by finding faith and God,” he added. “We did a 180, even when her body was deteriorating by the day.
“I went from despair to hope.”
And as his wife was struggling, LeBlanc decided it was a chance for him to help other people who are struggling with similar scenarios.
“In the midst of it, we just tried to be hopeful and joyful,” he said. “That is where I came up with the vision to help other people.”
LeBlanc explained that the funding for the project comes from donations.
“It is all through personal donations,” he said. “My blog has a spot for viewer donations.
For LeBlanc, his wife’s illness and death were difficult, but some good has come out of the loss.
“It’s not easy to lose your wife, but seeing how many people are impacted from her story makes it more bearable,” he said. “I have received thousands of e-mails. I’m taking
her story and using it to help others.”
The Anthem of Hope currently has 13 people volunteering their time, and for LeBlanc they are all brought together by the tragedy of his wife’s death.
“We are an unlikely group brought together by Misty’s story, and we are held together by two constants: the inevitability of sickness and the availability of hope,” he wrote on his website.
“We are passionate about shining light into the dark times that millions walk through each day — dark times which are so often associated with illness,” he added.
For LeBlanc, it is sometimes a challenge to be a single father, hold down a full-time job and run the charity, but somehow he makes time for everything in his life.
“The hardest part is that I have a day job from 8 to 5 every day,” he said. “Then I have to take care of my daughter.”
He finds time after his daughter’s bedtime to work on the Anthem.
“I end up working onAnthem of Hope until 3 or 4 in the morning,” he said. “I have a lot of energy, so it’s OK, but balancing the hours is the hardest part.”
As Anthem of Hope becomes popular and successful, the reason for its founding will not be forgotten, he said.
“Misty LeBlanc’s story is and will always be at the core of Anthem of Hope,” LeBlanc wrote on the website. “She was the first member of the movement and the first life impacted by its mission.
“She will forever be an example of the value of caring friends.”
While the inspiration of the charity was faith through sickness, one does not have to be sick to benefit from the Anthem of Hope.
“The major goal of Anthem of Hope is faith building, not healing,” he wrote. “Difficult circumstances can be confusing in terms of where to turn for help; our resources provide a starting point for answers, exploration, and growth in a relationship with God.”
LeBlanc said that a DVD filled with healing stories and a music service are two of the projects planned for the future.
LeBlanc is also touring for speaking engagements with churches and other community organizations.
To learn more about the Anthem of Hope, visit http://anthemofhope.com/index.php; LeBlanc’s blog can be accessed at http://leblanclife.com/.
Contact Kenny Walter at