Brad Parker was the embodiment of beauty, strength, and grace. An avid surfer, rock climber, cyclist, and yoga teacher, Brad (36) was tragically killed in a fall while traversing Matthes Crest in Yosemite National Park on August 16, 2014. His death came as a complete shock to all who knew him. Brad had climbed all over the world and summited many of the big walls in Yosemite, including Half Dome. He was featured on the cover of California Climber magazine in 2012.

 

Brad was born on June 8th, 1978, in Santa Rosa, CA to Bill and Gayle Parker. He had a calm and gentle nature from the beginning. As a toddler, he loved spending time constructing tall buildings out of wooden blocks and then joyfully knocking them down, just to rebuild them higher. Brad didn’t take a step until he was 14 months old. That day, he decided he had studied it long enough and started running, completely skipping the walking part. This is how Brad lived his life - always studying, then diving head first into his passions without fear. 

 

Brad attended Cal Poly San Louis Obispo and graduated with a degree in Business Marketing. During that time you could always find him in the indoor climbing gym or at the kayak shop where he worked taking tourists out to sea. After college, Brad packed his bags and took off for a year and a half journey to see the world with nothing but a backpack and a tent. He visited Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, Cambodia, Spain, and Australia. This time spent in foreign lands shaped him into the compassionate man he became, expanding his worldview and perspective profoundly.

 

After spending time in Costa Rica, Brad decided to move to Kauai where his younger brother Matt had transplanted, to study Structural Integration Bodywork at Pacific Center of Awareness and Bodywork. Brad quickly became known in his community as a healer and possesed the ability to balance strenth with surrender and integrity with vulnerability.

 

Brad then returned home to West Sonoma County and made the decision to extend his healing studies further and was accepted to nursing school in Santa Cruz. After a long, arduous journey, Brad decided that western medicine didn’t quite line up with this deep-rooted values. So, he began teaching yoga and continued with his massage business in Sebastopol, CA where he lived for 4 years, developing a strong, adventure-loving community. 

 

What Brad accomplished in his life is nothing short of incredible. He traveled the world, became a powerful healer, and loved more deeply than most ever will. He seemed to walk in a glow of his own making; Brad was stoked on every opportunity to surf, explore, climb, and learn, and his eternal positivity was contagious. We will continue to honor his beautiful life through our actions, words, and deeds, and invite you to join us in this journey towards healing and love.