Braun Levi continues to impact communities across Los Angeles
The catastrophic march of the January Palisades Fire did not end once those last stubborn embers were doused and extinguished. The flames might be gone, but the disaster continues, creating new tragedies and accumulating fresh grief. Daniel and Jennifer Levi lost their home to the Palisades Fire. Their daughter, Adelle, was away at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, but her younger brother, Braun, was home.
“Braun and I watched our home burn down together,” said Jennifer.
The Levis relocated to Hermosa Beach in an attempt to reestablish stability so Braun, 18, could finish his senior year at Loyola High School, where he was captain and star of the tennis team. He and his tennis partner, Cooper Schwartz, whose family also lost their home in the Palisades Fire, had just won the Mission League doubles title and were set to play the first round of the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) state tennis tournament, but then the unimaginable happened: Braun was struck by a car as he crossed Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach just past midnight on May 4. He didn’t survive his injuries.
Braunicles
Braun Levi was the kind of kid this world is lacking.
“He was spontaneous, a man of instant action,” said his mother, Jennifer.
There was no better person to begin the community’s healing phase after the fires than Braun. He connected his friends from various high schools who had lost their homes, and with classmate Pat Ashby, he established a peer-to-peer counseling space for other students who had been displaced by the fires. The high point was an overnight Saturday to Sunday sleepover retreat, hosted by Loyola High School and held on campus inside the elegant Caruso Hall. The attendees listened to featured guest speakers, enjoyed a steak dinner and roasted s’mores. Braun, of course, was one of the inspirational speakers.
THE LEVI FAMILY, (left to right): Adelle, Daniel, Jennifer and Braun.
“My girlfriends always wanted to know about Braun’s latest adventures,” laughed Jennifer. “We call them The Braunicles.”
When Braun was 16, he visited his sister in North Carolina. It was fall, and the UNC football team had a home game that weekend against in-state rival Duke. Somehow, Braun ended up in UNC’s Tar Heel locker room for the pre-game pep talk. Then, unbelievably, he ran with the team through the tunnel and out into the smoke and cheering of the sold-out stadium. “That was typical Braun,” his sister said.
BRAUN LEVI won four Mission League doubles titles in tennis.
At Coachella Valley Music Festival this past April, Braun struck again. During one of the afternoon shows, he ended up onstage with the band, cooling the crowd down by spraying them with water.
MVP
Braun was not a good tennis player; he was a great tennis player. As a freshman and sophomore, he and his partner, Darren Ignatius, won the Mission League doubles championship. He defended his title the next two years, playing with Cooper Schwartz. Braun was captain of the tennis team for three years.
“I’ve never had a sophomore captain,” said Loyola Head Tennis Coach Brian Held. “Sometimes your best leader is not your best player, and sometimes your best player is not your best leader. Braun was both. He was probably the most decorated tennis player to ever compete for Loyola.”
In the latest UTR (Universal Tennis Ratings), which ranks the best high school players in the nation, Braun was No. 50.
“This has been heartbreaking in every way,” said Held.
Torch
At Loyola’s commencement, Braun Levi was acknowledged as a graduating senior.
“I pray that his legacy is long-lasting and enduring,” said Loyola Principal Jamal Adams.
The Levi family has created the Live Like Braun Foundation, which will help sustain his memory and support causes he found important.
“I’m overwhelmed daily by the love and support from people who knew or heard about Braun,” said his mom. “It’s been a lifeline and has given us a way to stay connected to him. I miss holding his hand, hugging him. I cry all the time.”
For those who would like to donate to Braun’s foundation, visit livelikebraunfoundation.org or scan the QR code.
Category: People
