Anyone who is either a member of Brothers Before Others or knows anything about the charity, knows full well the weight that the name “Steven McDonald” carries around these parts. Steven was a hero and a friend to BBO’s Founder/President Michael Burke; and Michael has been sure to instill that same respect in his group’s members. Even those who knew of Steven prior to joining BBO, now know him so much better because of Michael. So, when given permission by the family to present an award to selected members in Steven’s name, it is not something that Michael nor the BBO Awards Committee takes lightly.
Unlike the Member of the Year Award, the Detective Steven McDonald Brotherhood and Benevolence Award is only awarded when a member’s benevolence goes above and beyond what is already above and beyond; and the latest recipient of this award was a no-brainer: Baltimore County Corporal Eric Brennan. The design for this award is as significant as what it represents, as it is the exact design of the award presented TO Steven at the Brothers Before Others Night to Unite III, held in his honor.
A former Marine Reservist, Eric has served Baltimore County PD for twenty years as a Police Officer, Corporal and K9 handler. He has been a board member of the Police Emerald Society of Baltimore for ten years, serving as their President for the last three. He also serves as an instructor for the ‘Below 100’ organization, training police officer’s on the importance of officer safety, with the expressed goal of seeing a year with less than 100 line of duty deaths.
Last year, as not only a coworker but also as a family member, Eric had to carry the weight of the loss of his cousin, Baltimore County PD Police Officer First Class, Amy Sorrells-Caprio. BBO first met Eric when we traveled to Baltimore in order to meet with the Sorrells/Caprio family. At that lunch, Amy’s husband Tim informed Eric that Amy had always cited him as the reason she wanted to be a police officer. If you spend five minutes in a room with Eric, it’s easy to see why.
For all he has done for his department, his family and this group, Michael, the BBO Awards Committee and the members of BBO are proud to recognize Eric. While work prevented him from attending, Eric had this to say on receiving the award:
