Brendan McDermott

Brendan McDermott, 38, passed away at home in Chestnut Hill, PA on May 21, 2023 shortly after giving his beloved daughter, Anna Reese, a goodnight kiss. Born in Chestnut Hill, he was the son of Mary Joanne (Mackay) and John Bradley McDermott, brother of John McDermott and Meghan McDermott (Jason Luber). Predeceased by his grandparents Mary Theresa (Bradley) and Justice James Thomas McDermott, Patricia Ann Cullen and William Paul Mackay, and his Aunt Netty Davis. After attending Our Mother of Consolation School, he attended La Salle College High School, and then graduated from Temple University. He went on to work at Gannon Insurance and USLI as an insurance underwriter.
Brendan met his wife Meghan (O'Brien), the love of his life, in 2008 and they were inseparable from their first meeting. They married in 2013 and welcomed their doodle son Otis in 2017 and their miracle baby Anna Reese in 2021. Brendan's favorite thing on earth was spending time with his family and especially his babies. Even on the worst days Anna and Otis always brought a smile to his face. Brendan is also survived by his in-laws Marianne (Jaworski) and Kevin O'Brien, Jessica and Christopher Viola, and Stephen and Mary O'Brien. Brendan loved being an uncle and his nieces (Kennedy McDermott, Emily Viola, Madisen Viola, and Mackenzie O'Brien) brought him so much joy. He is also survived by countless aunts, uncles, cousins, coworkers, and friends who he considered family.
Brendan loved spending time with his beloved family, friends, and puppy. He loved traveling, golfing, and listening to music. If Tom Petty or the Rolling Stones were in town, Brendan was there in all his glory enjoying his most treasured songs. Brendan was known to indulge in the finer things in life like food, wine, and clothes. He was also a lifelong, avid Philadelphia sports fan and was the life of every party.
Brendan was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer in November 2018, but he refused to let this define him. Despite countless surgeries, procedures, hospitalizations, treatments, and hours of travel between Philly and Memorial Sloan Kettering, Brendan always had a smile on his face and a positive attitude. He never let cancer stop him from enjoying his life. He loved Tom Petty and adopted the motto "I won't back down" as he battled cancer – and he never did.
Brendan and his family will be forever thankful for his amazing doctors and their teams at MSK (especially Dr. Guillem, Dr. Isbell, Dr. Ku, Dr. Shin, Dr. Kingham, and Dr. Husta) and his wonderful and caring oncologist and Nurse Practitioner at Penn, Dr. Schneider and Sara Abbo. Brendan was passionate about raising awareness for early onset colorectal cancer and funds for cancer research via Cycle for Survival. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Brendan's Cycle for Survival team – Team Rectify http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/TeamRectify.
Relatives and friends are invited to Brendan's Life Celebration on Thursday, June 1, 2023 from 9:00 – 10:45 a.m. followed by his memorial mass starting at 11:00 a.m. at LaSalle College High School, 8605 W. Cheltenham Ave. Wyndmoor, PA 19038. Interment is private.
Family services are entrusted under the care of the Craft-Givnish Life Celebration Home, 215-659-2000.