Adventurer Feature-Branden

Everyone yearns for adventure. We dream of the next trip, the next challenge, the next story we get to earn. For our participants, finding adventure means not only overcoming fears and learning new things but also living with their disabilities. Our new series “Like Everyone Else” is focused on telling our participants’ stories, discussing how they came to be a part of the Beyond Boundaries community and what it means to them to be able to share in the same adventures as everyone else. 

Meeting Branden for the first time was a memorable experience. He arrived on a fishing trip with Jacob’s Chance bursting at the seams. For him, being able to go fishing was a dream that had yet to come true and he was more than ready to seize the opportunity.

“The day I caught my first fish- I was excited yet nervous to go. It was my first trip with Beyond Boundaries and Jacob’s Chance. I had always wanted to go fishing. I got to meet new people and try new things,” he says.

On his first trip, Branden managed to land several bluegills, shouting excitedly to Mom who was watching from a nearby pavilion. With each catch, Branden would tease his mom about touching the fish, getting laughs from everyone around.

“I was like ‘Oh my gosh’, this is really happening. I was excited, happy, and mesmerized. When I threw my first cast I was just so happy. I had a smile on my face the whole time. Catching my first fish brought me the excitement I hadn’t felt in a long time,” exclaims Branden.

Branden left his first trip elated, bragging about his catches and talking with James from TrailHead Creative about some of their favorite fishing YouTubers. 

When James and Branden met again on another fishing trip with Beyond Boundaries, something incredible happened.

“I was fishing and I felt something tugging. I started reeling it in and I thought it was a log at first but then I realized it was a fish. I pulled it out and I was like ‘Woah’” Branden explains.

“It was kind of a slow day of fishing when Branden yelled that he had one. I looked over to see if I needed to help and realized he had on a giant,” says James of TrailHead.

Branden had reeled in an impressive largemouth bass, pushing 20 inches and close to 4 pounds. After a bit of struggling to get it unhooked and a quick lesson in how to lip a largemouth, Branden was showing off his catch like a pro.

“The first thing I told my mom was to call Grandad because he’s always been like the father figure in my life and in a way him seeing me fish just makes him happy because it reminds him of his (belated) brother,” says Branden.

Branden’s energy, enthusiasm, and willingness to immediately put down his fishing rod to help others around him made an impression on both James and Shep. At the end of the season, they teamed up to do something special for Branden. Inviting him to the Jacob’s Chance headquarters, they surprised Branden with his own fishing rods, a fully loaded tackle box, and a framed printout of his feature photo in Virginia DWR’s print magazine, Virginia Wildlife plus a visit from Tom Wilcox, the Director of Engagement for Virginia DWR.

“When I saw you (James) and Shep, I was so happy. You two are the reason I know how to fish. When you all gave me that tackle box and all the fishing rod and stuff I was ready to cry tears of joy,” says Branden.

“Has anybody asked ‘why do you do what you do?” Branden is my ‘why.’ Being able to introduce someone to something new, like fishing, is what it's all about. He is polite, appreciative, helpful, eager to learn, and an all-around great kid! Branden can be a great leader/role model one day, and it would melt my heart to know that maybe being introduced to fishing helped support that for him. I know when I see Branden arrive for adventures I’m going to have a great day!”

Since then, Branden has been able to do some of his own fishing and has also continued with Jacob’s Chance, joining Beyond Boundaries on fishing excursions and other trips.

“I love it all! The adventure, the people that work there, and the energy you get from being around everyone. If I had a friend who was considering it, I would totally tell them to go! You won’t regret it,” he says.

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