The Pt. Pleasant Foundation for Excellence in Education honored Charles A. Brady and inducted him into the 10th Annual Hall of Fame on Friday, March 9th as a 2007 Community Leader Award Recipient.
In the 1960’s, on the inside flap of a book entitled, “My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Coretta Scott King sent the following handwritten note to Mr. Brady, “Charley - With deep appreciation for your concern and support of those ideals of love, justice, truth, peace and brotherhood. May our common efforts hasten the day when Martin’s dream will be realized. Coretta Scott.”
In discussing the selection of Mr. Brady for this award, Foundation President, Dr. Rob Coombs, “Our members are in awe of Mr. Brady’s background and the ideals he lived for over four decades. We are honored to highlight the life of this local resident and extraordinary humanitarian.”
Mr. Brady’s commitment to children and his efforts as a peacemaker, promoting nonviolence and equal treatment for all races caught the attention and gained the support of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr. early on – a relationship of mutual respect and friendship between the King Family and Mr. Brady dates back to 1965. He would later author a biography on Dr. King for the National Catholic Encyclopedia.
Mr. Brady, a Certified Financial Planner since 1981, graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark where he won 2nd place in the NJ State Wrestling Championship. After graduating from Seton Hall University in 1958, he served as an assistant to the vice president of a major gas corporation. Mr. Brady’s strong desire to help others led him out of Corporate America and into the Immaculate Conception Seminary where he was ordained a priest in 1966.
He served in several black communities in New Jersey, while assigned assistant pastor of Holy Spirit Church and St. Peter Claver Church in Orange and Montclair. Among his many accomplishments, he taught Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy to black youth, and established athletic teams that won 3 national championships in 8 years. Mr. Brady’s efforts as an educator, coach, mentor and father figure inspired many of his students to become athletes and stars in college; and most became productive members of their communities.
Mr. Brady was a guest of Dr. King at the Southern Christian Leadership Convention; he had also been a guest in the King home; and often represented Mrs. King at functions in New Jersey. Mr. Brady’s commitment to civil rights during this volatile time in the country’s history was met with resistance in some circles in NJ and as a result, Mr. Brady was forced to repel a mob mentality that was behind a no-holds-barred effort to remove him from the important work of his parish.
Mr. Brady prevailed and he again found strength and support in the words of Mrs. King when she wrote in a letter dated, August 30th, 1968, “Dear Charley, ... the trouble you described in the Newark school was in many ways painfully familiar… it certainly requires more love, courage and strength to prevail and endure than it does to retaliate in kind. Your courage and determination to lovingly demonstrate the nonviolent brotherhood so desperately needed in the world is a source of inspiration and encouragement… With love, Coretta.”
Mr. Brady lives the tenets of courage and encouragement everyday. Beyond the establishment of the youth sports teams that won 3 national championships, he also helped kids, who could count on his commitment to them, win 4 eastern championships, 8 state championships, and 23 count championships. He established and coordinated an alternative high school in Orange, NJ for students who could not learn within a normal structured environment. No matter what the challenges, Mr. Brady worked tirelessly to build confidence by inspiring each kid one unique student at a time. He helped every child find a place to contribute something meaningful because his experiences proved to him that every child had something meaningful to share.
A year after resigning from the priesthood, Mr. Brady met his wife Carmie. A year later they married and had three sons: Matthew, Scott and Patrick, all of whom were exceptional athletes and graduates of Pt. Pleasant Borough High School. When Carmie Brady passed away from cancer @ age 50 on May 21, 2004, Mr. Brady and his sons decided her spirit would live on through a not for profit organization called The Carmie Brady Foundation which is dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults facing cancer and other devastating illnesses.
The Foundation - carmiebradyfoundation.com - has successfully raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. "The Brady Bunch" Walk for the Cure Team is 500 volunteers strong and growing. This remarkable family has committed to raising $20,000 a year for five years to support the Carmie Brady Room at Hope Lodge. Hope Lodge is a beautiful building located in the heart of New York City, which is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Cancer patients from all over the world can stay at the lodge free of charge while they are receiving treatment at any hospital in New York.
After receiving his CFP designation, Mr. Brady taught the course at Monmouth College. He established Associated Financial Planners, in 1982. Matt and Scott are partners in the business along with Robert Clayton, another Pt. Pleasant Borough graduate. Patrick was an NCAA Division III All-American Wrestler and graduated from the College of New Jersey in May, 2007. Following his dad's lead, he became a dedicated teacher and coach.
Mr. Brady’s biography has appeared in Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who in the East. He has appeared on CNBC’s Money Talk and other TV programs. He is a 30 year member of the Elk’s Handicapped Children Committee and was 2003 Shillelagh of the year for the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, a club that has given over $300,000 to local charities and families. He is on the Presidential Advisory Committee of USAllianz, Franklin Templeton Funds, Hartford, and ING. He was also named to “America’s Best Financial Planners” by the Consumer’s Research Council of America in 2006.
In 2003, this past President of the Sea Girt Chamber of Commerce was selected NJ State Businessman of the Year by the National Congressional Committee; he has founded organizations dedicated to supporting people in the field of Financial Planning and he has been a contributor to countless other local organizations including: Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Friends of Manasquan VFW, “Think Tub” - a group dedicated to raising funds for sick children; and he is a loyal repeat sponsor of the Pt. Pleasant Athletic Boosters Association and the Pt. Pleasant Foundation for Excellence in Education.
In conclusion, Dr. Coombs adds, “Mr. Brady’s mentor, Dr. King, often called for “personal responsibility” in fostering peace. The personal responsibility displayed by Mr. Brady throughout his life honors Dr. King’s legacy and all of us in untold ways. We are thrilled to induct a humanitarian and citizen of Mr. Brady’s caliber into the Hall of Fame.”
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On a final note, I know champions and winners when I meet them or interview them because I've had the privilege to live among them and to work next to individuals like Mr. Brady all my life. How about you? Are there people who set the standards for excellence in your life? If so, don't forget Brian Molko's quote: "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." Let's imitate Charlie Brady and offer some help.
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