An Extraordinary Life: Brandon Regan's legacy

ROMEOVILLE – Nancy Yoacham of Arizona misses Brandon Regan – a Facebook friend she never met in person.

The 30-year-old Romeoville man died Oct. 2, but he left behind a trail of supporters who found inspiration in his life.

“I think people looked at their own lives and their troubles and then they saw this kid who was facing death and still fighting,” said Robert Regan, Brandon’s father. “He inspired them.”

Brandon was 15 when he was diagnosed with degeneration of the cerebellum and ataxia of unknown origin; he began receiving care hospice care in 2011.

A friend of Nancy’s had shared a request from Robert to “friend” Brandon on Facebook.

As a result, people flooded Brandon’s personal page with requests and Facebook temporarily shut it down, Nancy said. That’s when Brandon’s family started his Team Beefer (“Beefer” was Brandon’s nickname) Just Smile fan page.

And Brandon certainly made people smile.

“At first we thought, OK, we’ll friend this kiddo and greet him in the mornings and bless him a good night. Wow, were we in for a big surprise,” Nancy said in a text message. “Brandon shared his wants and wishes with his 3,000-plus friends every day. His wants and wishes were to try to make as many people smile and be genuinely happy.

“Brandon’s happiness came from spreading happiness. ... Brandon helped make sad days better by letting us know that he loved us.”

When Brandon asked for a Facebook page, Robert said he created one, all the while thinking, “He’ll get 10 friends and that will be nice.” Robert never dreamed how far or how deeply Brandon would touch people, even after his death.

“We had flowers from Australia, Canada and England,” Robert said. “The Australian guys sent us a couple of boxing gloves from a three-timer world champion from Australia. I think the gloves said, ‘Tough times don’t last, tough people do.’ They [the gloves] arrived the day after Brandon passed.”

Boxing gloves?

“[Brandon] was a fighter,” Robert said. “He would not give up. We always had the approach of, ‘Sometimes you’re throwing the punches and sometimes you’re up against the ropes.’ He used to say, ‘I’m not done yet.’ ”

Nancy said Brandon’s friends near and far helped Brandon check items off his bucket list. Robert said Brandon met Garth Brooks several times, and he also met Trisha Yearwood.

Brandon sat in a boat on the Illinois River to fish. He surfed; he went to Florida and fed the dolphins. He went to the Wisconsin Dells, Robert said.

“The only one we wouldn’t allow him to do was skydive,” Robert said. “Now I say, ‘He’s flying with the angels.’ ”

After a fundraiser helped with Brandon’s travel expenses to see Garth Brooks, as well as Brandon’s future funeral expenses, Brandon insisted he wanted to help others, Robert said.

So the family hosted several more fundraisers to financially help individuals and families with special needs, Robert said. Team Beefer Just Smile will continue as a nonprofit to help other people with disabilities or terminal illnesses to fulfill their bucket lists, too, Robert added.

John Wallace of Westmont was a hospice volunteer when he met Brandon; now he has multiple myeloma. John said one role of the hospice volunteer is enriching the lives of their clients. Brandon’s case was challenging.

“He had such an enriching environment already,” John said. “We should all be so lucky.”

Brandon’s fan base hasn’t diminished since his death. Instead of checking up with Brandon, his “peeps” are comforting Brandon’s loved ones.

“They’re like family,” said Cheri Regan of Romeoville, Brandon’s stepmother.

• To feature someone in “An Extraordinary Life,” contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.