Braxton P. Caner

Braxton Paige Caner

March 8, 1999 – July 29, 2014

Aledo, Texas

Braxton Paige Caner was born on Monday, March 8, 1999, in Denver, Colorado. He is the oldest of two children of Dr. Ergun and Jill Caner, and the big brother to Drake Ergun Caner, age 9. His life ended suddenly and tragically on Tuesday, July 29, 2014.

In September 2005, Braxton accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and was baptized by his father in January 2006.

In 2011, the family moved to Aledo, Texas and it was here that Braxton grew into the mature and vibrant young man we all knew. The family joined the Willow Park Baptist Church, and Braxton continued to pursue his lifelong love of football.

For most of his life, Braxton loved three things: God, his family and sports. When he got to Texas, he added four things to that list: Football, his friends, weight training, and Hanna Spencer. Braxton only loved one girl in his whole life- He and Hannah were inseparable for these last two years, and reflected a godly love far beyond their respective ages. From the moment the family arrived in Texas, Aledo Bearcat football became his consuming passion. He became a starting lineman, and last year recorded 11 tackles, two interceptions and a safety before he tore his ACL. Braxton's love of weight lifting, Crossfit training and dietary discipline transformed him physically. Before he died, Braxton began researching collegiate programs in sports fitness and kinesiology, and wanted to become a sports trainer.

Braxton only lived 15 years and four months, but he did more in his brief life than many people do in a lifetime. He traveled with his parents, visiting 41 states. He attended over fifty weeks of church camp in his life, on every major ocean. He learned to surf in Hawaii, escaped a moose in Alaska, got chased out of Canada, helicoptered over the Grand Canyon, and ducked out of the way of a lion in the Serengeti. He got to help do a chapel for his beloved New England Patriots and learned to drive his F150 pickup truck on dirt roads of Texas.

Braxton's faith in Christ was also reflected in his life: He was the best big brother to Drake, led his cousin to Jesus shortly after his own salvation, and was a positive role in the lives of many others. He traveled around the world on eight mission trips, including Kenya twice, Tanzania, Israel, Mexico, the Bahamas, England and Wales.

Braxton leaves behind his parents and younger brother Drake, his maternal grandparents, Braxton and Frances Morris from Raleigh, NC and paternal grandparents Jim and Monica Hunt from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, along with three uncles, 20 cousins and a host of friends.

His funeral shall take place on Saturday, August 2, at 2pm, at the New River Fellowship Church, 3252 East I-20, Hudson Oaks, Texas, 76087. Rev. Scott Crenshaw and Dr. Clark Bosher shall officiate, and Michael John Clement shall lead worship.

In lieu of flowers, a fund has been established to train counselors in suicide prevention in Braxton's name at Brewton-Parker College, P.O. Box 197, Mount Vernon, GA 30445.