My Tribute to Brandon
A fine young man recently walked into heaven. I say ‘walked’ with an extra emphasis and a smile on my face, because this particular young man has spent the past 14 years confined to a wheelchair. His miracle of healing finally came; just not in the way we all had hoped.
I first met Brandon Goeller (pronounced “Gā-ler”) in 2010 when he came into our youth group at church. The family had just relocated to Kissimmee from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and wasted no time at getting involved in church activities and ministries. Brandon struck me right away as a likable guy, with a contagious smile and approachable demeanor, willing to talk to anyone. In fact, the entire Goeller clan (there are 6 of them) are a friendly, smiling, lovable family. We have been blessed to call them our friends!
Brandon Joseph Goeller
March 7, 1994 - July 2, 2020
Among his many talents and interests, Brandon loved to sing and was a faithful member of our Sanctuary Choir. In fact, I believe he was the inspiration for a wheelchair ramp leading to the church platform where the choir sang. I loved watching him navigate that ramp - actually, any surface, with ease and confidence. The chair had become one with him; he had mastered it and made very little of it, so that we who knew him barely noticed it anymore. We would just say “Oh, here comes Brandon,” not “Here comes the guy in the wheelchair”!
The ‘Celebration of Life’ for Brandon on July 11th was a great reminder that our life should not be defined by what we can or cannot do. Nor should our weaknesses or handicaps limit us from having a great life. Brandon showed us that we can rise above our limitations to be whoever we choose - and HE chose to accept who God had created him to be! Brandon did not let the chair or his weak muscles stop him from trying new things and going on adventures; he even had his driver’s license!
The best part is that God used Brandon - in his wheelchair, in his 20’s, and incapable of doing many things - to bless and help many people who came across his path. But I’ll bet if we were to ask him, Brandon would say that he was the one who was blessed. What a great heart he had.
We serve a mighty God who is able to create life, sustain it, prolong it, and reclaim it for His perfect will and in His perfect timing. Brandon will be missed and his memory honored, but I know his hope for all of us would be to bring glory to God with what we’ve been given - handicaps, weaknesses, flaws, and all!
I encourage you to read all the wonderful tributes and posts on Facebook* honoring
Brandon’s life. You will soon begin to see the big picture of what kind of guy
he was; a young man on mission for his LORD.
* FB: “Brandon Goeller” … or check out www.conradandthompson.com/tributes/Brandon-Goeller.