I will never forget the first Concert in the Park I attended back in 2020. It was the first opportunity I had to be in our community after moving here. As my family was getting situated, I looked up to see a gentleman walking towards me with a bubbly smile and larger than life presence. Brett Carlson’s greeting was something I will never forget as one of the many affirmations for coming to North Branch. He shared how proud he was to be a Viking as he invested his attention to get to know my family, we each felt seen, valued and cared for. As I watched his bundle of energy navigate the crowd, I witnessed others experiencing similar joy. Brett Carlson impacted lives and we are so grateful that he chose to be a Viking.
On Tuesday, Aug. 22, Concerts in the Park will honor Brett Carlson, our former Director of Early Learning and Community Education who passed away last November.
It’s hard to believe almost a year has passed since we lost Brett. Brett is deeply missed, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Carlson family. Many of us continue to be reminded of his presence on a daily basis. He shows up in comments left on documents, random photos in various folders, in our slogans, and in countless rituals, practices, and events that he was once a part of. He leaves behind a priceless example of the impact of instilling hope in others.
For instance, Stuff the Bus, our annual school supply drive, is something he started. The first year of the event was led by Brett and his daughters, Megan and Sarah, who staffed the event. Other Viking traditions he started include our annual Down Syndrome Day dance and the random “let’s make it a great day” texts he would send at 5:30 in the morning.
A life well lived is a legacy. Brett lived his life bringing joy to others. Many people in the community were stunned to learn the Brett they experienced at school and events had been sick with cancer for almost two years. Pat Tepoorten recently shared with me his reflections on the depth of Brett’s joy for life, for his work, and for his relationships. Pat shared that Brett’s happiness for even the simplest things was infectious; His brilliant smile, his quickness to laughter, and his urge to make everything fun was what Pat and many others took away from their interactions with Brett.
We go through our lives not realizing the impact we are making on others. Brett always chose to lift people up because he passionately believed hope is everything. For Brett, cancer was an inconvenience that did not define him or his relationships. Brett didn’t need things to go his way to be happy and optimistic about tomorrow. Underneath that wonderful surface was the reason for his enduring joy; his faith and his family. He reminds us to take the time to care for one another, and that it's often the small things that warrant celebration.
Beyond the sadness we continue to feel for his loss is the enduring joy we all feel at having known him and the ways he changed us, our school district, and our community for the better.
I hope you can join us at Central Park on August 22, starting at 6 p.m., to enjoy the talents of Andy Spofford and his band Next Door Down as we celebrate the life of Brett Carlson. The examples he set continue to be a gift and an inspiration to all of us.