Navy PO2 Brandon S. Dubois was born on December 4th, 1990, in Biddeford, Maine. His family lived in Arundel for 4 years before moving to Kennebunk. As a boy he loved playing pranks and at age 9 managed to convince his father that he had fallen into the well in the backyard. One time he explored the fish market next door to his dad’s house, hid in a cabinet and found himself locked in the building. Brandon loved camping, fishing and cars – passions that continued into his young adulthood.
Brandon attended and graduated from Kennebunk High School in 2009. While Brandon had always thought about entering the service, it wasn’t until age 26 when he enlisted in the Navy. He always regretted not going in right after High School.
He was very close to his 2 cousins from his dad’s side as they were of similar age and grew up like brothers. His cousin Curtis was like his best friend and they could always be found together during Brandon’s high school years and beyond.
Brandon passed unexpectedly on November 3rd, 2020 at the age of 29 while in service assigned to the USS Pinckney in La Mesa, California.
Brandon’s mother, Cindy, retrieved the stone from a place she wishes he could have gone to. “It’s a peaceful little walk in the woods that has helped me heal a lot over the loss of him. He loved being outdoors.” Brandon was an organ donor and his mother shares that “in November, 2020 we honored his wishes to be an organ donor. They were able to use his heart, lungs, kidneys and liver. He also donated tissues. Brandon saved four lives and so far has enhanced 11 others.”
The following video pays tribute to Brandon and the lives he saved through his organ donation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTEBrZFq9sQ
12 Comments
Cindy,
It was so nice meeting you at NEOC on Saturday. I really learned a lot more about Brandon. I feel the stories that you told me are only the tip of the iceberg.
It was my honor and privilege to carry Brandon’s stone for the first time. My hope is that I can help in your grieving process by knowing that Brandon’s stories will forever be told. He will always be in my thoughts and prayers.
The weekend was amazing. First by being able to spend time with you, but also with so many who have become near and dear to me within the TSP Family. Welcome to the Family! From everyone that I talked to, they were very happy that you attended and loved hearing about Brandon.
The hike was tough and your stone gave weight to my pack, but I never wavered in my mission to honor your legacy. The bugs may have been the worst part of the hike, but I know you would have made a grand story of it!
Not only was this the first time your stone and story have been honored at a TSP event, but it was the first time any TSP Team summitted Doubletop! As I said, it was tough but we had the best team ever! We overcame or cut down every obstacle that was presented to us. We also made the team decision to be the first ever team to jump into Millinocket Lake together. Oooh, that was cold, but so much fun! It would have made an epic story for your retelling. Of course there were many people that documented it with photos and video (I hope there’s video!).
I believe our team behaved as you would have by making the most of our situation and living life to the fullest.
I hope you’re still creating memorable stories in heaven!
Mike “Bazooka” Peterson
MHANF!
was great to meet you too
I had the great honor of walking with Brandon today. I too was a Navy Petty Officer on a DDG. We walked around Brunswick with a whole group of stones visiting the Veteran memorial and sharing the stories of the fallen. It was the perfect Maine summer weather today. After all the rain we have had it was like it knew we needed a nice day to honor you and the others. Your stories are being carried on for others to hear.
thank you so much for honoring my son and carrying his stone
To the family of Brandon S. Dubois,
I want to express my deepest condolences for the loss of your beloved son, Brandon. It was an immense honor getting the opportunity to carry Brandon’s stone during TSP’s ascent of four peaks along the Bigelow Range in Carrabassett Valley.
My journey with The Summit Project began when I came across a company-wide email at Pratt & Whitney, informing us about this particular hike. Intrigued and moved by the cause, I immediately sought out more information and registered without hesitation. Having previously hiked the Bigelow Range, I knew that this event would hold a special significance, allowing me to pay tribute to Maine’s fallen heroes and represent their cherished loved ones.
I was assigned Brandons stone a couple nights before we were set to hike. Seeing that he graduated from KHS immediately made this assignment feel right as I’ve now lived in Kennebunk for the past 6 years and my wife graduated from KHS. As I read further into who Brandon was I became committed to sharing his story and honoring his legacy to the best of my abilities.
Upon arriving at the team house on Sunday night, my eyes were drawn to the six tribute stones thoughtfully arranged on the dining room table. As my gaze fell upon Brandon’s stone, I felt an indescribable weight, not due to its physical size, but rather the profound emotional weight it carried. It was as if Brandon’s presence filled the room, as if he had been waiting for me. In that moment, it became abundantly clear to me how crucial my role was in this event. It was evident that Brandon wanted me to share his story and ensure his memory endured. Later that evening, I had the privilege of witnessing a short clip of Brandon’s stone being engraved. It was a truly humbling experience to learn about his life, witness the creation of his everlasting memorial, and realize that I would play a part in preserving his legacy.
As we prepared our gear the following morning, we discussed the anticipated weather forecast, which predicted rain throughout the day. However, not a single one of us was deterred or discouraged by the prospect of inclement weather. We knew the commitment we had made, and nothing would hinder us from fulfilling our mission.
Although rain accompanied us for the initial miles, it graciously subsided just as we approached the steepest section of the 13-mile journey. By the time we reached the first summit, the rain had ceased entirely, and we found ourselves enveloped in a shroud of clouds. It was at the second peak that we proudly raised the American flag, gathering beneath its symbolic embrace to share the extraordinary lives and stories of our heroes.
The narratives shared that afternoon deeply moved me, but Brandon’s story resonated with me on a profound level. As we lowered the flag and continued our ascent over the remaining two peaks, my thoughts remained consumed by Brandon. I found myself wanting to ask him countless questions.
If I were ever granted the privilege of hiking with Brandon once more, I would be eager to learn about his post-high school endeavors and the driving force behind his decision to enlist at the age of 26.
Given the remarkable individual he was, I can only imagine the role models who influenced him. I would love to know whom he admired most in life and the qualities he sought to emulate.
Lastly, whats one song that would describe Brandon? If he found himself out hiking what would be in his head, what song could help somebody honoring him help them relate more closely?
These thoughts accompanied me as we made our way back to the cars, etching themselves into my mind. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to participate in this meaningful event. Though I carried Brandon’s stone on my back for a mere twelve arduous hours, I now bear the weight of his story, along with the responsibility and commitment to aid in sharing his legacy.
Please know that I am dedicated to honoring Brandon’s memory in any way I can. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
With heartfelt sympathy and unwavering support,
Steven W. Tupper
thank you so much for honoring my son it is very appreciated
I had the honor of carrying your stone at ANP to Echo Lake. My son i miss you more than i could ever say and a big thanks to The Summit Project for all you do for our fallen heroes it is appreciated beyond what i could ever express. Here’s to more hikes with you my beloved son. Love mom
I had the Honor and Privilege of Riding with your Stone and Story from Portland to Baxter on the back of my husband’s Harley Davidson. It was a Beautiful day to talk about you with other riders. Thank You Cindy for meeting up with us in Bangor and Thank You for sharing his stories previously and throughout the weekend. Brandon you will Not Be Forgotten and Your Story Lives On with each person who touches your Stone ❤️❤️
had a great time as always
Cindy,
I am so very sorry for the loss of your son, Brandon. I know you treasured him greatly. It was a wonderful experience to learn about his life and the creation of his memorial that will go right alongside TSPs mission in keeping his memory and legacy alive. It’s a wonderful gift to know how many lives he’s saved and impacted.
It was lovely getting to know you between our volunteering sessions, before even knowing what brought you to TSP. I loved hearing your little stories here and there amidst the chaos up there, and am grateful I had the honor of being chosen to carry your son Brandon’s stone at BSP this weekend. I learned from a fellow hiker, that this would be Brandon’s second time summiting Double Top with TSP and I was honored to bring his stone back up there again. It was such a beautiful day and experience.
Looking forward to seeing you again soon ❤️
Erin Boudreau
thank you so much for keeping his memory alive and was great meeting and volunteering with you
Dear Cindy, I apologize for being late in writing this. My name is Chris Douphinett I’m a fellow gold star family member and during the Acadia national park weekend I had the honor to carry Brandon’s stone during the hike. I think that he found me during his search for a fellow prankster to carry him because I was so uncertain I would be able to attend that I didn’t have a stone assignment. When I arrived I heard that he wasn’t going to be able to be carried because his hiker got covid and wasn’t able to go. I was able to learn about him a little bit during the weekend from his love for pranking, his love for hiking and camping. I learned about his love for cars. As a fellow prankster and hiking enthusiast he and I had a good amount in common. He and I had a great day on the mountain and even though I’ve never met him I felt as though I had. I truly enjoyed talking with you about him over dinner and trying to help troubleshoot the water in his tail light issue. I thank you so much for allowing me to honor your son and I look forward to seeing you guys again in the future. Brandon’s memory is eternal and I thank you for allowing me to contribute to that memory. Sincerely Chris Douphinett aka Hammy