June 17, 2003 ~ November 20, 2024
Elias was born June 17, 2003 in Omaha, NE to his parents Joshua and Erin Brandt. By the age of two, Elias’ love for mechanics was apparent. This was especially clear in the way he was drawn to trucks, cars & motorcycles. He would sit on his parents’ bed and look out the window over all of Broadway, naming the make and sometimes model of most of the vehicles that passed. He identified them by the shape of their headlights. His mom thought that was cute but his dad knew it was much more. By the time he was five he was identifying them just by sound.
Elias was homeschooled and thrived in an environment where his mom could curate his learning around the things he was passionate about. They often began the year sitting together and talking about the things they wanted to learn about and do. Elias was 11 and entering his 5th grade year when he asked to build a dirt bike for school. Josh found him a non-running, Yamaha YZ80 and the learning and fun began. Elias preferred to never read anything . . . ever. So in an effort to squeeze a little reading into the project, the singular rule was that he had to build it using only the service manual. You Tube videos were allowed only as a last resort. The kid who hated reading suddenly turned into a kid who crawled into bed early, flipped on his bedside lamp and read that manual until he fell asleep. That next spring, he took that bike to Oscaloosa, Iowa with his dad, uncle Joel, friends and cousins he rode it with pride. He also gained his first concussion and his first fracture. That’s one thing about Elias. He always lived with his whole heart and some pretty admirable wild abandon.
As Elias grew, so did his passion for trucks and his love for people. Anyone who knew him, experienced a deeply genuine love. Through social media, he connected with thousands of people personally and intentionally. Growing his following to over 50 thousand through meaningful connection. The outpouring of support and shared grief has been nothing short of extraordinary to witness. Along with his deep love of family and friends, at the very top of all of it and the very core of his soul was his love for Jesus. While not perfect, he strived daily to walk towards the Lord. To walk with Him, to know Him, to love through Him and because of Him. He believed there was nothing but truth to be found in the Bible and longed to know God better. As Elias walked patiently through this last year and a half, he made it clear to everyone, he would be ok. At diagnosis, again in the middle of it all and at the end, when things were incredibly painful and difficult, He would say, “I’m in a win/win situation. Either I have longer here with everyone, or I’m with Jesus. Either way, it’s good.”
Elias is survived by His parents: Josh and Erin Brandt; siblings: Sian, Lena and Moses Brandt; Grandparents: Boyd and Susan Brandt, Mark and Lee Cleveland, Randy and Karen Horn; Great-Grandparents: Beverly Pippitt and Darrell and Arleta Young; Uncles: Ben Cleveland, Joel, Jake, Jordan Brandt, Brant Keisweather, Mike Maass, Ryan, Justin, Gavin & Connor Horn; Aunts: Molly & Brandy Brandt, Josie Maass & Jenna Keisweather, Annie Mercier; Cousins: Davis, Elizabeth, Esther, Evelyn, Edith, Abram, Robbie, Vera, Grace, Audrey, Clara, Gwyn, Louisa, Harrison, Bennett & William; His beloved and treasured girlfriend Camryn Ringsdorf who will always be a part of the family and so many more family and friends.
CELEBRATION OF ELIAS' LIFE: Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 11:30 am, with VISITATION one hour prior to the service, all at Calvary Christian Church (10100 Cedar Island Rd, Bellevue, NE 68123)
In lieu of flowers, memorials given to the family will be used in Elias' memory at a later date.
Braman Mortuary and Cremation Services
1702 N. 72 St. Omaha, NE 68114 / 402-391-2171
To send flowers to the family in memory of Elias Joshua Brandt, please visit our flower store.