Brad played a variety of sports as a kid including summer league swimming.  When he started high school he had to decide and his parents encouraged him to go out for swimming.  He was immediately successful and was encouraged to try water polo where he found his true calling.  Prior to senior year he was ranked top player in St. Louis and he was working hard in the weight room and the pool.  The season was off to a great start when on a spring break trip to Cancun, Brad dove into the surf, hit his head and was later diagnosed with C4-5 incomplete quadriplegia.  After surgery swelling resulted in an inability to breathe on his own.  He was flown back to the USA where he spent three months in the hospital but miraculously he was able to walk out of the hospital.  After graduating and spending a year in rehab he changed his plans to play college water polo and enrolled at Mizzou’s prestigious Trulaske College of Business. He graduated in December 2022.