Meet Brady
Brady grew up in Kenton, OH with his family including his mom (Laura), dad (Brian), sisters (Kaley and Ashley), and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Brady was heavily involved in athletics through his childhood. He enjoyed participating in all sports but was particularly focused on baseball throughout high school. He made so many memories with family and friends through his love of sports. Even through high school Brady had hoped he would find how he could make an impact in the world.
After graduating high school in 2017, Brady attended Youngstown State University in Youngstown Ohio where he majored in psychology. In his second semester at YSU, Brady began working in the equipment room alongside the football team. This opportunity allowed him to stay close to the athletics he loved while still pursuing his degree. This connection to sports is what led him to meeting many of the influential people in his life, including his girlfriend, Madison. In May 2021, Brady graduated with his bachelor’s in counseling and through one of his many connections he had secured an opportunity to take on an internship at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA.
Brady quickly relocated to Pittsburgh after graduation to be closer to UPMC, where he worked as research assistant on their NFL brain health project. While living in Pittsburgh, he still made plenty of time for his family and Madison, spending a lot of time in both Ohio and Michigan most weekends. Brady excelled in this position but still felt like he wanted to pursue counseling, knowing he would need to get his master’s degree to make the impact he wanted. After spending 1.5 memorable years in Pittsburgh, Brady moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan to join Madison and start the journey of pursuing his next degree while also being able to stay closer to his family in Northwest Ohio.
While he began his application process and was getting settled in his new home, Brady decided to pursue a temporary career as a behavioral technician in ABA therapy. Before taking on this role, Brady had no experience working with children on the spectrum and it was very intimidating at first. After the first 3 months of living in Michigan, Brady and Madison began looking for their first home. At the same time Brady was also filling out his grad school applications. Even through all of these events, Brady showed up every day to work where he consistently made an impact on children’s lives. In January 2023, Brady and Madison ultimately relocated to Petersburg Michigan where they would spend the last year and a half of Brady’s life with their dog, Daphnee and cat, Velma in their first home.
Brady started thriving at work, putting so much effort into the kids he worked with. He eventually found out he was accepted into the Rehabilitation Counseling program through Alabama State University in the fall of 2023. He spent his daytime hours administering ABA therapy and spent his nights completing his next degree online. He came home day after day exhausted but excited about the impact he was able to make every day and the impact he knew he would be making after completing his program. He spent his free time perfecting his lawn, working out, and spending so much time with family and friends. Brady completed his first half marathon in May 2024, and to no one’s surprise he excelled with minimal training. This accomplishment pushed him towards one of his next goals, an ironman. Brady began training for this next push, but on September 15th, 2024, Brady tragically drowned while attempting to complete an open water swim. While this loss has been unimaginable, the rest of his life cannot go forgotten for the person he was. Through all of it, he prioritized his family and friends and those who meant most to him. On any given day Brady was willing to be an ear to listen, or the encouraging coach you might need in your life. He was kind, funny, and most importantly caring. Brady cared about everyone, and was always trying to be there for anyone who may have needed it. When Brady moved to Michigan, he was able to spend irreplaceable time with his family and friends from back home, which he was so thankful for. He was able to take many trips with Madison, seeing their favorite musical artists, visiting multiple MLB parks and making countless memories. Most importantly he made an impact greater than he may have ever imagined not only with those in his personal life but the children he worked with through ABA therapy.
