My name is Claire McCabe, and I am hoping to raise start-up costs for a small business for a truly selfless and brave person who saved my Mom's life and was there for her when she needed it most...

In 2022, Brandon Young was my Mom's water delivery person, and he would bring the heavy bottles into her home in the Memorial area of Houston. She lived alone and was reclusive and eccentric. He noticed she was shy and quiet, and would typically wear sunglasses, gloves and a driving cap when answering her door. She was sweet, and they had a friendly rapport. What he didn't know was that she was suffering from a mix of delusions and paranoia that accelerated with the isolation of Covid. She was fiercely independent, and able to cope and care for herself. Part of her condition made her unable to accept that anything was wrong, and she had pushed away most of the family and friends who cared about her. I was living in Brooklyn with my 8 yr old son, and we would visit when possible and call to check on her. As an only child, I had done what I could to maintain a relationship and make sure she was safe, but I was overwhelmed not knowing how to help her, or how to fix an impossible situation. I felt paralyzed and would wake nightly at 4am, breathless and worried about her.

So it was around this time that her condition worsened quickly, and she must have given up. Brandon came to make his monthly delivery, and she didn't come to the door. It was the middle of October, and I got a call from an unknown number in Houston. I answered worried it could be about her, and a concerned voice said “ Hello, is this Claire? I have some news about your Mom. My name is Brandon, and I handle her water delivery” He took a second to get more words out, and in that moment I feared the worst. Then he assured me she was ok now, but it was a bad situation when he found her. He said he could always tell she was a bit different, and then recently he noticed something was wrong…there was a bad smell, and she did not let him in to carry the bottles. He was scared to proceed, (as anyone would be), so he left, but that night he prayed about it and decided he could not turn his back on her. So he returned. Then he described how she came to the door in what looked like slow motion, barely able to get there. She let him in and told him she had not eaten in many days. There were bags of rotting garbage piled in her normally spotless kitchen, and the bottom of her sink was covered in black mold. He got her some chicken soup, and helped clean. She told him she had a daughter, but she did not want him to bother me. Thankfully he decided to find my number in her phone, and make a difficult call.

In the months that followed, he helped us almost daily, visiting her, cooking for her, talking to her and gaining her trust. As a dad, working full time he would stop to see her at the end of his route. He had a way of making her laugh when she was starting to get upset or confused, and he was so patient, never judging her for the wild things she said. They both love fashion and shoes, and he was always a bright spot, wearing colorful combos and bringing life into her solitary world. He called her sunglasses her "hater blockers", and he was an invaluable lifeline that helped me stay connected when I was going back and forth from Brooklyn to Houston. He would talk through complex issues with me, and had a way of giving gentle nudges and encouragement when I felt hopeless. It took many months of effort and care, and he helped tirelessly to get her moved into a better place,

I have not shared this story beyond close family and friends, and I would like to properly thank Brandon for his kindness and compassion - he is a hero to me and my family, and deserves recognition. My Mom passed away recently in May 2025, and Brandon was one of the first people I told. He is the brother I never had, and he gave us the gift of 3 more years with my Mom, instead of a truly tragic ending, where I had failed her. He was a stranger who appeared in the depths of despair, and became our guardian angel.

From the start, he told me he was a good cook and specialized in smoked meats, and did some catering on the side. It was his dream to have his own small business. When he decided recently that he was finally taking the steps to realize his goals, I asked if he would let me do this, and reluctantly he accepted, knowing that it is a way for me to thank him and honor her. He will be using the $ to purchase a commercial meat smoker, and fund the start up costs of permits and insurance and supplies and marketing. I hope his story inspires people to help others, and to talk about mental health and elder care. I know he has the talent and passion and charisma to succeed, and the love he puts into his cooking made such a difference for my Mom. Please help however you can, by donating and spreading the word, and of course becoming a customer when he is up and running!