to know brandon was to know love and laughter, says tammy moore, brandon's mother. when brandon was boarding the plane to go back to afghanistan, he turned and looked at me and i thought my god, my son's a man. it was the first time i looked at him and didn't see him as my little boy. brandon grew up in fort thomas in northern kentucky and attended woodfield elementary school, highlands middle school and highlands high school. as a kid growing up, he loved to fish and played baseball and football. brandon also practiced tae kwon do when he was a kid and he earned his black belt by age 10. high school classmates and teachers of brandon's remember him as an unassuming student with a big heart and a good sense of humor and a dedication to helping others. as a school, we joined the fort thomas community and the family in mourning his loss, said highland's principal brian robinson. even on bad days, i was able to turn to brandon and bring out a smile to my face says former high school classmate stephanie orling. brandon also had a mischievous side. brandon loved a good p