Dr. Brandon D. Rogers - One Year

A few months ago, I wrote about a wonderful young man who passed away at only 29 years of age. His impact on the world far surpassed his short time here on Earth. That man was Dr. Brandon D. Rogers. Today marks one year since his passing. He was a beloved son and brother, and he was also a doctor and a phenomenal singer. As I wrote previously, I never had the pleasure of meeting Brandon, but I think of him often and pray for his family every day. When I think of him, I think of how he used his life in such a way, where he affected the lives of those close around him and many, many around the world by simply being himself, helping others, and going for all of his dreams. Like so many others, I would love for him to still be here, but in a way he is, because the light of his influence is still shining through those who loved him and all of us that he inspired. We will never forget you Brandon.

If you would like to read my previous post from December 2017, you can read it below.

This year, I was blessed to learn about an amazing young man. That man was Dr. Brandon D. Rogers. In January, I came across his incredible singing on Instagram and I was absolutely blown away. His voice was out of this world! I immediately wanted to hear more, so I looked back through his account and was instantly pulled in. He was a fantastic singer and indeed a doctor, but he was also a beloved son and brother, and an amazing friend to many. It made me smile to see his humor. I admired his commitment to medicine, his love for singing and his love for those around him. It was a joy to see his absolute love of life!

The Singing Doctor

As I went backwards through his Instagram account, I had the chance to see the determination, dedication, hard work and strong faith that he drew strength from as he pursued his dream of becoming a doctor. I was absolutely inspired by his example and I know that many others were also. In a world that is so often focused on only showing the negative, seeing Brandon’s journey as an intelligent and caring human being was a breath of fresh air. Those of us who were following along on social media were able to get a glimpse into his wonderful and blessed life.

Sadly, on June 11, 2017, Brandon passed away in a car accident. He was 29. I never had the pleasure of meeting Brandon. Hearing about his passing was heartbreaking, because I knew that the world had lost a truly incredible person. In the months since his passing, I’ve crossed paths with so many people who never had the pleasure of meeting him either, but enjoyed his singing and drew inspiration from his example as a person who worked hard to make his dreams a reality. In my own life, I’m so inspired by Brandon. Because of him, I’m inspired to love even more, to go for what I want in life more, and to relish life even more, because he surely did that every single day.

His loss is definitely felt by many...those who knew and loved him and those of us who never met him, but realized immediately just how special he was. I think that when people are real, their goodness just shines through and people pick up on it, even through social media. Brandon touched the hearts of countless people around the world. Through his profession as a doctor, he was a healer and by also sharing that golden God-given voice that he possessed, I believe that he offered dual amounts of healing to the world.

It’s hard to accept that someone so young and in the prime of his life is no longer here. He had so much going for him and we can’t help but wonder what his continued impact upon the world would have been. Brandon didn’t get the chance to live a long life, but he truly lived his life to the fullest and achieved so much while he was here. He gave so much to the world and his good works are still paying dividends. He had the opportunity to fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor and helping people. He directly affected and saved lives. That is amazing.

This year, Brandon had the chance to perform in Las Vegas with the legendary group Boyz II Men and he was also invited to audition for America’s Got Talent (AGT). These two opportunities came about because of a video that Brandon posted at the end of last year which went viral. You can see that video here. You can also see his Boyz II Men performance here and his AGT performance here.

One aspect of his life that was a joy to see, was the love that he and his family shared. When I think of the wonderful human being that Brandon was, I also think of the fertile soil of love within his family that he grew from. What a wonderful family and what an incredible, yet humble man he was.

Brandon's Legacy

Dr. Brandon D. Rogers left a great legacy behind. His family has established the Dr. Brandon D. Rogers Memorial Fund to honor his commitment to education, medicine, the arts, and community engagement. To find out more about the memorial fund, you can find their Facebook page here. The memorial fund will help to create opportunities for the next generation of students and artists. For their first project through the memorial fund, the Rogers family has partnered with Riverside Health System (where Brandon worked) to raise funds to open a simulation lab that will bear Brandon’s name. This is an incredible way to honor Brandon’s legacy as this lab will be a vital tool in the training of future doctors. In order to help make the lab a reality, donations can be made here .

You can also order an array of products which are emblazoned with Brandon’s name and the wonderfully creative logo which perfectly illustrates his love of both medicine and music. You can find them here.  All proceeds go directly to the Dr. Brandon D. Rogers Memorial Fund, which will help to do the important work of helping others, just as Brandon did during his life.

I’ll never forget Brandon. May his legacy and the good works done in his name continue to positively affect the lives of others for generations to come.