My son Brandon Meyers….died by suicide June 28th 2013. He was 25 years young. He enlisted in the Marines at 18, couldn’t wait! His life long dream was always to be a Marine. He started talking about being a Marine at age 7. I figured he would out grow that. But in his teens I seen that was not going away. At 17 I begged him not to join, I threatened too! I am a very anti-war mom and tried everything to change his mind. After his 18th birthday he enlisted. The gunnery Sargent called me crying after she met Brandon, when he signed up. Saying he was one of the few that joined for the right reasons. My son said he was joining to fight for the ones who fought and died for him in all the years past. She said few come in for that reason. Most for a job, and a lot for someone to pay for their school. He served 1 tour for 8 months. He came back to the states for only for 11 weeks, and was shipped back to Iraq. He was there this last time for 19 months! Yes, 19 months. I knew the day he left he was gone. He would never be the same if he lived through that hell. I’m so sad I was right.
Brandon was one that helped everyone, always gave his money to those in need more than he. He didn’t have much but he would pay for a VETS meal if he ran into one. He graduated in the top 5% of his class. He was smart as a whip and was going to go into computers before joining. He was the jokester, always making others laugh. Even when he was in Iraq, he had the goofiest pictures he sent, getting guys to laugh. I sent 1-2 boxes every week, and in there I would send something funny…wax lips, a pooping jelly bean pig..etc.
He went to school and became a mechanic, becoming certified in many areas…but he decided its not what he really wanted to do. He realized he still wanted to help others and was graduating this year as a paramedic.
Since his passing, we have learned even more..Brandon was the ROCK for everyone. Even when he was falling apart inside, he was there for many many people. We learned he stopped one person from committing suicide, One he stopped from dying from drug use. Another one he got in shape, stopped him from using drugs and got him enlisted in the marines too! He helped strangers by listening to them, getting to know them, sitting on a bar stool. He touched many more lives than anyone I know! He has the most amazing group of best friends, guys and girls..all looked up to him and are at a total lose as to how to go on now.
He was a great son….a great brother to his one sister. We were a very close family…even thou he came back different…he still came back home to talk. Sadly the VA didn’t do enough to help my son, as with many many more suffering PTSD.
We never imagined this happening, he stated MANY times he would never kill himself, that he wanted to live and he would beat his demons. He lost many from his unit to the same fate. July 19th we know was the trigger, he lost a buddy in Iraq in front of his eyes, one he said he would protect. That coming day was hard on him, this time he didn’t live through it. It was so unplanned, he was going to have surgery to fix his collar bone from a motorcycle accident, he just got a physical and bought his trucks Rims and tires 2 days before. He didnt plan this, he didnt see the demons coming again. He didnt cry out to his friends or family once more to help him get up this one more time….after many many calls in the night before.
In the end….my son died living his dream. I question my faith now, but will try to find God again. My son sought God for 6 weeks before his death, unknowing to us. He said he didn’t believe in God anymore after what happened over there. But he went to church with a friend for 6 weeks before his passing. So if there is a God, we know he is finally at peace. And I pray we will see him again one day.
RIP CPL Brandon D. Meyers 4-8-88 to 6-28-2013
Continued… shared by Brandon’s mom:
I want to share a story that just happened a few nights ago
Background:
We are struggling with God right now…why did he let this happen and such. Brandon was a non-believer, more so after all he went through in Iraq. But we learned he was seeking God out the 6 weeks prior to him taking his life. He went to church with a friend all those 6 weeks. We found this out at his funeral. So we are struggling even more now, first trying to think if there is a God, and Brandon was seeking his help, why did he let him take his life? And now, if there is a God, we need to seek him even more, because if Brandon is with him now, we want to be there one day too.
So….now the story:
Wednesday night my dog Lexi was acting odd. It was about 6:30 pm and dark outside. She started barking in my kitchen by the table and a wine cabinet. I went in there to see whats going on…nothing. shooed her out. She ran back in, in the dark, and kept barking. I would go in and when I approached her I startled her to the point she about hit the wall running out. Anyhow, she kept this up for about 20 minutes. Awhile later when we decided to go to bed, we walked past that table and cabinet, to let the dogs out. There on the cabinet was a Military bible! I asked David, where did you get this? He said I didnt put it there. I said really..come on…was this Brandons? He said he never seen it before. So, since I didnt put it there, David didnt, there is no one else in this house. I believe Lexi seen Brandon here that evening, Brandon left us a sign he is here with us and he left us the bible to help us understand and believe once again. I say this with all the truth in my heart. I was and still am a little freaked out about it! There have been signs Brandon is around and with us, but nothing concrete like this!
Love and miss you my son….
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=675520162458526&set=a.587001214643755.1073741832.585478254796051&type=1&theater
http://www.friedrichjones.com/obits/obituaries.php/obitID/725347/obit/Cpl-Brandon-D-BubbaJonathan Rhys Meyers
Menu
