Our conservation family has lost a champion. Brett Barron was a career service member of the US Naval Special Warfare Community, a mentor, athlete, and conservationist with an unmatched spirit. On August 11th, Brett took a fatal fall while volunteering with us in the Crazy mountains of Montana. We are heartbroken by this tragic and sudden loss of life in goat country. We are honored to have worked so closely with this American hero. Brett's commitment to conservation will be memorialized through future RMGA scholarships and programs. Please continue to keep Brett's friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.
Rest easy, Brett. Thank you for your lifetime of service.
Brett's Full Obituary :: https://bit.ly/2Q28yFN
If you'd like to make a donation in Brett's name, please do so here :: https://goatalliance.org/pages/donate-now
Piece read at Brett's funeral:
My name is Pete Muennich and I am the President and Founder of the Rocky
Mountain Goat Alliance. Last month, I was fortunate to meet a new volunteer who
stood out from the group as someone with exceptional commitment and passion.
Brett traveled alone from Michigan to take part in two different projects we were
hosting in southwest Montana. The biologists and myself all took notice of the quiet
and confident out-of-stater. He was excited to be in Montana and we were excited to have him working with us.
After the first weekend’s project, Brett’s survey partner, Kevin Pearson, returned
home to tell his wife and kids that he had just made a new best friend. They two
strangers spent the weekend in rugged country as they spotted and documented
mountain goats. The both of them had an unforgettable trip in the mountains.
The next weekend, Brett showed up for yet another backcountry project with our
organization. Enthused by the first survey, Brett requested to be assigned the most
remote and challenging search area to wrap up his solo summer trip.
When Brett did not return to cell service and then later missed a Monday flight out
of Bozeman, we reported a missing person in the Crazy Mountains. After
volunteering with the Park County Search and Rescue for two days, we located
Brett.
Brett tragically took an instantly fatal fall while navigating into a high alpine basin.
On Wednesday afternoon, after two awful days of searching, Brett was taken out of
the mountains thanks to the help of the alpine rescue team and a helicopter.
I personally carry the weight of Brett’s passing extremely heavily. Our conservation
work is nothing without the selfless commitment of individuals like Brett. I am
honored to have worked so closely with this American hero. Brett's commitment to
conservation will be memorialized through future RMGA scholarships and
programs.
Rest easy, Brett. Thank you for everything. We owe you so much.
