A New Blog Feature...

Bren Bear stories from Grandmom & Grandpop!

For the Friends of Brendan - Since the pictures are finished, and all your cookies made, how about a few stories about Brendan to fill the void??? Thanks to all of you faithful voters for spending so much time voting for Brendan. After all the hard work if we come in second to Aaron it would be a great honor. We have met his late grandfather, father and uncle and they are great people.
When Brendan was in 7/8th grade and Sean was swimming with the High School we would go to the meets. Brendan would be on the deck with the H.S boys, cheering them on as if he were one of them. In his freshman year when he went out for the swim team, at the first meeting, the coach asked Brendan, what was his best time in the breast and when Bren. told him, the coach said 'your breaststroke not your freestyle'. Needless to say the coach was amazed. Sean's team, of which he was captain, the year earlier, won the league championship, for the first time in many years. With Brendan having a major part they were league champions when he was in his freshman year. His times in I.M. and the breaststroke were the best in the county.

Prior to districts,at which you have to qualify for states, Brendan was in woodshop class and cut the top of two fingers on the power saw. After the accident Brendan was really upset because the doctor told him no swimming for 10 days. His father seeing how upset he was reassured him that he always had next year to prove himself. Brendan said, 'Dad, I am not upset for me, I am upset for the seniors on the relay team who will not go to states if I don't swim." So his father called the family doctor and explained the situation, the doctor did not want to override the surgeon who stitched the fingers. However, his father told him that Brendan would not be in the water for more than 1 min. for Breast, and 30 seconds,for the relay. Finally, the doctor said, 'no warm-ups, and cover the bandage with a rubber glove, to keep it from getting wet. After each time in the water you have to change the bandage. Before entering the water at Districts Brendan had to go to the officials, show the bandage and glove, and get permission to swim. The officials said it was okay because they felt it was more a hindrance than an advantage. He swam and took a first in the breast and the relay team qualified for states. Following the districts, John Lohn's article in the Del. Co. News read, "HANSEN IS A CUT ABOVE".

At States Brendan was seated third behind the AAA champion from the previous year and the AA Champion from the previous year who moved up to AAA. Swimming with these two champions Brendan was behind until the last five yards of the last lap pulling ahead and winning the race. This was one of the most memorable of Brendan's races. The first of his four consecutive state titles. The relay team took a fifth which was great for those swimmers. In his sophomore year, Brendan tied Jeremy Linn's state record, in his Junior year he broke the state record, and in his senior he broke his own state record, which was and still is the National Public School Record. That year he was voted the "Most Outstanding Swimmer in Pennsylvania."

Next Week's Story -"How Lena's Pumpkin met Ian"

Wheeeee! I can't wait to read next week's story! Many thanks to Gmom and Gpop for taking the time to do this for us.