| Graduation Year | Class of 1990 |
| Date of Passing | (unknown) |
| About | Brett was a wonderful friend of mine. He worked very hard in his education and became a dentist, opening a successful practice in Atlanta. Brett always had bad memories of Griffin High and when I would praise him for his success and say, "Hey, don't you want to go back and show everybody what you have done with your life?," he would always respond vehemently, "No." Brett hated high school and I believe it was because of bullying. This is my opinion only, not that of anyone else. It is based on my own memories and observations. As many of our class knows, we lost many people to suicide in our graduating class. Brett became another one in 2004. His death, so sudden, broke my heart. Brett died two days after another friend, Eric Noel (Class of 1989), commited suicide. I buried them back to back and it was the worst week of my life, outside loosing my firstborn. My best memory of Brett is the day he drove up to my Crescent Road house with his first car and taking me for a drive. I also remember meeting him every day outside of Mrs. Dunham's class to gossip and hang out. I have a copy of him in that "chicken" costume on my desk at my school to remember how zany he was. It's in the 1989 yearbook - it was a Spanish Club picture. Keeping that picture on my desk is to remind me to always listen to my students if they are sad and depressed and to tell them how to get help if they ever want to hurt themselves. It also reminds me to always encourage my students to stand up for themselves against bullying. Brett was one of my best male friends at GHS and I regret that I didn't stay in touch with him like I should have, but he is very very much missed. Brett is proof that you should always tell people EVERY DAY that you love them and they are a gift to this world, no matter what. |
