Brandon Caserta always dreamed of being a Navy SEAL. He was well on his way when a series of tragic events led to him taking his own life. As a legacy to his memory, his parents fought for new rules that will help other military members who are struggling. 

By all accounts, Brandon was a happy go lucky young man and always ready to help others.  Patrick is a Navy Veteran and he and Teri were not excited about Brandon’s decision to join the Navy. However, they helped by getting him everything he needed to succeed.

While in BUDs training Brandon accused some of the training staff of engaging in illegal behavior. Later, he was injured but was not able to get proper medical attention. While he was initially told he had bad shin splints, an x-ray would show that his leg was broken in three places. When his father told him that he could get rolled back to the next class, Brandon refused to go back because of what he had witnessed.

He transferred to the East Coast and selected to be an air crew rescue swimmer. However, a series of toxic leaders led him into a darker place. Brandon took his own life on June 25, 2018.

Inspired by correspondence Brandon left behind, Teri & Patrick began an arduous campaign to help other military members who might find themselves in a similar situation. They talked to all 535 members of the House and Senate over the course of two years. The Brandon Act allows members of the military to confidentially seek out medical help for any reason, at any time, in any location – without going through their chain of command. It was signed into law on December 27, 2021. It would take another two years before the branches incorporated the new rules into their systems.

His parents have also established the Brandon Caserta Foundation to address the epidemic of suicide in the Armed Forces.