By Shelley Bennett
As a teacher, some of my favorite “good stuff” stories come from my former students, as is the case today with Class of 2004 alumni Brian Duffy.
Brian was a stellar athlete at Lassen High School, competing in football and basketball and even giving it a go at soccer, baseball, and track. He was part of the 2002-03 football team that won sections and received All League honors.
He admits that he was a not-so-stellar student, being ranked at about 150 in a class of 300. But Brian had a drive that I had never seen before in my students, to me it seemed like he was angry at the world, yet it helped him overcome many challenges that were in his way. Without dredging up to much of his past, it’s safe to say there were a few fistfights and poor decisions made during those four years.
After high school, Brian played JUCO football, took some classes, and eventually joined the Navy where he was accepted into the prestigious Navy Seals program.
There’s a whole novel to write here, but to keep it short: Brian completes his training, is deployed a couple of times, meets and marries the woman of his dreams, welcomes a baby girl into the world, and finds out about the Navy’s Seaman to Admiral program. He applies to a couple of safe schools and is eventually talked in to applying to his dream university: Notre Dame.
It seemed unattainable, with dismal grades and an almost 10-year gap between junior college and then, but experience and perseverance paid off and Brian was notified of his acceptance.
The last two years haven’t been easy, but Brian’s mental toughness led him to success. Brian says that his toughest challenge was getting “over (his) fear of people telling (him) no” and that he used persistence to finally “get to yes.”
If he could give his 17-year old self some advice it would be “Impossible is nothing. Mark 9:23 tells us that “everything is possible for one who believes.” He also advises, to “don’t be afraid to ask for help” and “go after your dreams.”
Which brings us to yesterday, December 7th, when Brian was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy with his strong, supportive wife Michelle and two beautiful girls Cecelia and Izzy by his side. He has earned a degree in Political Science from Notre Dame with a 3.046 GPA and would have even walked on the football field as a member of the team had it not been for the stringent rules of the NCAA.
Lifelong friend Anna Townsend offers, “He remains humbly human while chasing and catching dream after dream. His respect and love for his mother and family are characteristics that I have always hoped I could foster within my own children. As a mother of three boys, I have often shared Brian as The Example of who my sons can look to for figuring out how life unfolds for a young man.”
I would agree with her. Brian was there when my own sons were young and he remains in their eyes a hero, an icon, someone to look up to and emulate. They know about some of his battles and witnessed what happened when he got knocked down. According to his mother, Joanne Darlington, “God has a good and perfect plan. Brian is an example of resilience, fortitude, grace, faith, and answered prayer.”
There are students that you worry about and there are students that you know will be okay. Brian was one of those kids I knew would be okay. He has a strong family support system and he was so stubborn that I knew nothing would stop him. I am proud to feature Brian as the “good stuff” today. He has definitely earned it. Congrats to you and your family Brian!
Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”
