Brandon was very young when his seizures began. The challenges he had to endure were many: various exploratory drug regimens, management protocols, and there were so many periods of trial and error. Brandon was a trooper, showing nothing but bravery and strength as he dealt with allergies to more commonly used medications in the search for relief.

Both the frequency and severity of his seizures began to hinder Brandon from keeping up with kids his age, both physically and mentally. Nevertheless, he approached everything with his characteristic patience and strength. He never complained and was always ready to try the next possible solution. He was inspiringly resilient and we visited innumerable specialists searching for any options we could find. We tried different diets, different combinations of medications, and even early versions of Vagus Nerve Stimulation therapy, all in an effort to mitigate his constant and debilitating seizures.

Brandon was ultimately diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, an uncontrollable seizure disorder. He experienced between 2-15 seizures every day. His condition caused him to endure seizures such as Grand Mal, Tonic, Myoclonic, Atonic and Clonic, and often Focal Onset seizures.

Despite his condition, he was passionate about so many things and he remained a shining example of how to love. He loved his family fiercely and was a stalwart defender of his siblings. He loved his dog Harley, and loved participating in our family activities like going to the driving range, the bowling alley, and the movie theater. He was fascinated by dinosaurs, and had every kind of dinosaur and era memorized by heart. Not shockingly, his all-time favorite movie was Jurassic Park! He loved good food (just like his dad), and was the absolute best, most wonderful person. Everyone in his life was so fortunate to enjoy his company. He never complained about his condition, never made excuses, and embodied love in everything he did.

Unfortunately, in the last several years of his life, Brandon was very limited in what he could do.

On 4/14/2020 Brandon had a seizure in his room in our family home, and was not able to recover. His dog Harley was beside him to say goodbye.

- Craig S. Darling

Brandon’s Father