STUDENT LIFE I INTERNATIONAL I SOCIALCLUBS I ACADEMICS I PEOPLE I LEADERSHIP I ATHLETICS I ORGANIZATIONS BIG HEART, BIGGER FAITH Senior Will Brannen exemplified faith and trust in the Lord despite complications after his heart transplant. According to senior Bible and ministry major Will Brannen, he was the youngest person to receive a heart transplant in the state of Alabama in 1995, at six weeks old. At age 9, Brannen was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer caused by the transplant's anti-rejection medications, which he battled for about a year before the cancer came back more aggressively at age 10. Brannen said his parents were very supportive of him experiencing childhood and never let him feel like he should he especially noticed how Brannen used his story to affect others as he took on leadership roles in Omega Phi. Bissell said the other men in the club looked up to Brannen and respected him because of his ability to share his faith and to speak truthfully. "He's one of those rare students who, when he walks out the door, he's going to make an impact immediately," Bissell said. "Whatever he's going to do, wherever he goes, whatever he does, not do something because of his illness. "I was a pretty happy kid, despite the circumstances," Brannen said. "That kind of goes to show you that attitude really is everything and how we can't really control the ''I came to find out, whenever it looks like [God] isn't there, that's probably when the Holy Spirit is doing the most work." he's going to make an impact." Junior Bible and ministry major Brady Jackson said he and Brannen connected through Omega Phi and the College of Bible and Ministry. Jackson said he enjoyed the deep theological conversations, -Will Brannen situations we're put in, but we can control how we act, and that's going to influence who we become afterwards." Brannen said he spent most of his 10-year-old life in the hospital, and during that time, he realized what it meant to fully rely on God while struggling with spiritual doubts and physical weakness. "I came to find our, whenever it looks like [God] isn't there, that's probably when the Holy Spiritis doing the most work," Brannen said. One of Brannen's mentors, Ken Bissell, senior advancement officer and sponsor of men's social club Omega Phi, said encouragement and consistency from his and Brannen's friendship. Jackson said Brannen took his studies very seriously and strove to be a positive light on campus. "I think he recognizes the life he's supposed to live and the life he's supposed to give to God," Jackson said. "He recognizes his calling, and you can just kind of cell the way he lives is a testament to how God has worked in his life and how He brought him out of those very life threatening things." Brannen planned to pursue a doctoral degree and become a university-level Bible professor and finish a book about his own life story after graduation. story by Sarah Brister Senior Will Brannen reflects on his story ofspiritual doubts and physical weakness on the Front Lawn at Harding on Sept. 24, 2018. Brannen overcame the adversities ofa heart transplant and the resulting lymphoma diagnosis to realize God's hand was working in all situations. I photo by Sterling McMichael 112
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