Austin Perry Brashears

Brashears, Austin Perry, was killed in a van accident on May 12th 2012 near Taupo, New Zealand while studying abroad with Boston University (BU). Austin was born April 16, 1991 in Los Alamitos, California. He was raised in Huntington Beach (HB), where he graduated from Marina High School in 2009 with straight A’s while playing varsity water polo and volleyball. Growing up, Austin was active in his church, AYSO and the Boy Scouts of America, earning the rank of Eagle Scout.
Austin was a Junior at BU majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Environmental Technologies He was a highly active member of his community who was planning to serve as president of both the BU water polo club and the BU chapter of Tau Beta Pi (an engineering honor society) during his senior year, in addition to working as a Resident Assistant and continuing his service as a student mentor. Austin frequently found himself in leadership roles because everywhere he went he brought people together; he just had a way of smoothing over differences and making people smile.
Austin became enamored with New Zealand several years ago after a few close friends and his sister participated in an exchange between the HB Junior Lifeguard Program and the Piha Surf Lifesaving Club. When the opportunity to study abroad presented itself, Austin jumped at the chance. He was continuing his engineering studies at the Auckland University of Technology and was scheduled to return home near the end of June.
Austin loved life and adventure. He always had a smile on his face and made the people around him feel loved. He was truly a great Son, Brother, Grandson, Uncle, Nephew and especially a friend.
Austin is survived by: his parents Thomas and Julie Brashears of HB, his brothers Matthew of Cupertino, CA and Travis of Redondo Beach, CA and his sister Nicole of HB.
Services in Austin’s memory will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 5402 Heil Ave., HB at 11:00 AM on Saturday May 26.