Brian's story

     Brian O’Connell grew up in the Bronx with his six siblings. Staying in the city throughout a majority of his life he worked through many different jobs along with working in the dying trade of shoe repair. He struggled with alcoholism and after twenty years was able to rise against his issues and make life better for himself by staying clean for the years to follow. On September 11th, 2001, he witnessed the acts of terrorism on the World Trade Center firsthand. His experiences resulted in PTSD which eventually led to him leaving the city he had spent his whole life in. He moved to Connecticut to stay with his twin sister Donna and her family. His time in Connecticut helped him rebuild his life and get another job in Waterbury, CT which eventually led to him living on his own for a time again.

​​     Years later after moving in with another family member, Brian eventually left on his own with no job to help him on his way, one last time. He decided to go camping on the banks of the Naugatuck River. He was against putting his family on the line to help him and didn’t want to be a burden. He wouldn’t move back in with his family and thought it was best if he was on his own.  Brian would meet with Donna weekly to get supplies and cigarettes, until one day he stopped showing up at their meeting place. He wasn’t heard from for a year. In October of 2017, his body was found by Kevin Zak of the Naugatuck River Revival Group.