Brandon is a hero like many others, but he isn’t just anyone. He was one of the many who was lucky enough to be called a United States Coast Guard. Like any Coast Guard, he wanted to help people and make them feel like life is a blessing and that everyone deserves a second chance to live even if it meant that their lives had to flash in front of their eyes first. What you probably didn’t know that not only is he now a veteran but also an amazing brother as well.

About 10 years ago, after Brandon graduated from high school; he decided to go and join the Coast Guard. His reasons were simple; he wanted a free education along with the honor he wanted with being a savior to people that needed it the most. Independence was also a main reason in entering, because he was always kind of anti-social and never had the best emotional strength growing up. His goal was to build himself up emotionally and mentally to become a better person and that is just what he did.

Boot camp was the most difficult part in training. Since he was never a great swimmer to begin with, pool time was a great struggle. His determination took control over his body, and every single second he had to hold his breath was like a thousand knives stabbing into his lungs but he overcame the pain, remembering that his victims would be feeling the same way if they were stranded in the Ocean. He told me that he had already improved himself 40% and that he was trying to see how much more he could achieve. The hardest part for him is knowing that he had a pregnant wife at home that would soon enough become a mother of three, and he had to support them.

After long months of hard work, he was finally officially considered a Coast Guard and go to choose his path in which he wanted to follow. He decided to be part of the Search and Rescue team. There, he had to jump out of helicopters and off of boats to save his victims in need. God only knew that he was risking his own life as well as the lives of the people he was trying to save but that never once stopped him. He kept doing what he knew was right and that is why he is a hero to all of us.