Despite battling continual pain, Brent Ericksen is on the front line in the battle against alcohol, drug and substance abuse on Auckland's streets.
For seven years, Mr Ericksen has volunteered for Drug-Arm, a Christian charitable organisation.
He has been the chairman of the Auckland branch for the past
year.
As well as running the branch, fundraising and talking to youth and community groups, Mr Ericksen works the streets every third Friday night, helping at-risk youth, prostitutes and the homeless.
Drug-Arm national director Graeme Bisseker said Mr Ericksen was a very altruistic person.
"For the personal issues he has, to still be happy to go out there, have a say and try to create some change is pretty amazing."
"He endures more pain than I would ever want to go through life enduring, that's for sure. He's an amazing guy."
Mr Ericksen had a workplace accident in 2000, and has to have two or three operations a year to relieve the nerve pain.
"It is pretty much constant pain, but when you're out there you can put that in the background because you're doing something."
He said he got to know the people he dealt with quite well.
"I don't agree with their lifestyles, but I'm not going to judge them for it."
And knowing he was doing the best he could to help those society had forgotten made the work worthwhile.
"If you can help one person, it makes a huge difference."
