Brett Michael Andersen

November 17, 1993 - November 5, 2021

Our beloved son, Brett Michael Andersen, age 27, passed away on Friday, November 5, 2021, after a long, brave battle with addiction. He is survived by his parents, Jason and Beckie (Fehr) Andersen, his sister Madeline Andersen, and aunts Michelle Fehr and Pam Andersen.

Brett never wanted to be defined by his addiction and mistakes, he was so much more than that. He was very clear that he wanted people to know the truth. His hope was that honesty could help break the stigma about addicts, and get people talking about the problem of addiction that is taking away so many young lives.

Brett was a handsome, intelligent young man who fell into addiction’s grip. He was feisty, funny and outspoken but would do anything for anyone. Unfortunately, he struggled to help himself. He loved politics and history and could pretty much run any Jeopardy category related to the two. He loved his family and friends deeply. You could see that it frustrated and saddened him that his disease caused both him, family and friends so much pain and heartache. Sports was another passion for Brett. He loved the Green Bay Packers, Utah Jazz and the San Francisco Giants. Maybe more than anything, Brett loved animals. He frequently took care of his Aunt Michelle’s French Bulldogs as well as his parents Frenchie Pe’Pe’. The dogs reciprocated his love. He was number one on their list. Brett believed strongly in second chances, maybe because he craved another chance for himself, he donated his corneas so that someone would have a second chance at seeing this beautiful world.

That was Brett... our amazing son should be remembered for this and not his mistakes. We believe that not sharing his cause of death will help no one, if his story can help just one addict push even harder for another day of sobriety, encourage an active user to choose recovery, or shine a light on this horrible epidemic, then it is worth coming out of the shadows. Ultimately, Brett wanted to live. He had dreams of a future career, children of his own, and fought his inner demons hard all the way to the end.

Remember, addiction doesn’t discriminate, it will take hold and destroy anyone in its path including the families and friends who love the addict. Addiction hides in the faces of everyday people all around us. Brett isn’t just another statistic or just “another one gone too soon”, he had a great heart with a bright future and a gift that the world lost and can never be replaced.

Remember, addiction is a disease. Much like diabetes. It must be monitored every day. And, unfortunately, it’s HARD. And sometimes, the ultimate outcome is even HARDER. Goodbye and Godspeed Brett! We love you very much.

We will celebrate Brett’s life on Monday, November 15, 2021 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East Millcreek, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Sobriety Foundation of Utah.

https://donorbox.org/sobriety-foundation-donations-1

Or to Utah Naloxone

https://umarket.utah.edu/ugive/index.php?gift_id=3124