Project Pinky
A note from the Family;
A quick intro about the creator of the ride, Denise, before stepping into the history of the ride itself...
Brandon's aunt, Denise, has a Masters in the mental health field. So when her nephew lost his battle that no one saw him fighting in which he was unable to see another way out of whatever he was dealing with internally, it felt especially devastating to her. Those who choose to work in the mental health field can feel a sense of additional weight on their shoulders when a personal tragedy strikes. REGARDLESS if they shouldn't... they will. Her inability to simply sit with this tragedy is how Brandon's Ride came to be. And now to hear from the creator, and aunt, of Brandon...
Brandon's Ride was created because as a family the thoughts, the doubts, the memories, the worry that we missed a sign or could have helped Brandon left us with more questions than answers. But the main question was... WHY?
My nephew, Brandon R. Pink (nicknamed "Pinky" years ago), left us just before Christmas in 2021. Brandon was a young vibrant 28 year old young man in a loving relationship, had 2 beautiful children, a loving family, so many dear friends, and SEEMED to have built a wonderful community around himself with a happy/content life overall. He was such a kind soul and a hard worker who was passionate about many things, but especially how the mechanical world around him worked. He was known from a young age to take things apart and began finding bargain lawnmowers to restore/refurbish before moving that love to cars as he grew up. And that is why his Jeep was so important... and how this ride came to be. The green Jeep you see here was his most beloved project prior to his passing. It was pivotal in how this ride began.
We will dive into the story of his Jeep a bit more later...
But for now, thank you for everything. Be it for your thought and prayers, your donations, your participation in the annual ride, telling us where you located one of the released memorial balloons, contributions to the site to help memorialize other who have been lost, but most importantly... THANK YOU for helping us to keep Brandon's memory alive while we raise awareness for suicide, even when there are no signs.
We appreciate you all!!