Obituary of Keith "Keithy" Bray, Port Morien/ New Waterford

Keith George Bray March 26, 1991 – October 2, 2020 Port Morien / New Waterford Keith, or Keithy, as he was affectionately known, lived a very different life than most of us. Many people spend their whole lives trying to make a mark on the world. Keithy made history simply by being born and growing strong. Diagnosed with rare Trisomy 15 as an infant, health professionals marvelled at his ability to thrive. A doctor once told Keithy’s parents “what you see is what you get”. What we saw was a little boy who defied the odds. What we got was a person who warmed the hearts of all who knew him and touched more lives than he ever could have known. As a child, Keithy attended school at Gowrie Memorial, teaching his classmates every day how important it is to care for others and accept their differences. He helped inspire an entire generation of children in Port Morien to be more compassionate, understanding people. He inspired his mother, Karen, to be the driving force in developing one of the first Snoezelen rooms in Cape Breton for children, which was designed to deliver stimuli using calming lights and sounds. That room, and those that followed, benefited countless children and adults alike. He taught his sister, Karla how to be a mother long before she was one. He helped her learn to be patient, kind, creative, and loving. His nephews benefit every day from the lessons he taught her. Finally, Keithy inspired all those around him to take joy in the simple things in life. There is little he enjoyed more than drinking a good cup of coffee while listening to music. Like his father, Thomas, Keithy was born with a song in his heart. Music was his language of choice from an early age. He loved singing the Muffin Man and Yankee Doodle, and enjoyed Christmas music all year round. He even came to enjoy hearing math recited as there is a rhythmic pattern that few of us even notice. We cannot begin to list all of the lives he touched, from teachers to care givers; from classmates to people he simply met in the mall. Everyone who knew Keithy loved him and learned from him. Keithy was lovingly cared for by the amazing staff of the Cape Breton Residential Society. These individuals became his family and there are no words to express how grateful we are for the fantastic care they provided. Keithy is predeceased by his father Thomas, brother, David, cousin, Patrick, both maternal and paternal grandparents and many aunts and uncles. He is survived by his mother Karen, sisters, Karla (Alexander) and Joanne, brothers , Paul (Lois) and Gary, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles. Keithy’s life was not an ordinary one, but an extraordinary one. We hope that when people think of him, they will smile, remember that anything is possible, and hum a Christmas tune in July because life is too short to wait for December. Visitation will take place at V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 16 Reserve Street, Glace Bay, Sunday, October 4, 2020 from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm. A Funeral mass will be celebrated at 9am Monday, October 5, 2020 at Holy Cross Church, Glace Bay with Father Norman MacPhee officiating followed by burial at St. Joachim’s Cemetery, Southside Boularderie. Memorial donations in Keithy’s name may be made to the Cape Breton Residential Society PO Box 21 New Waterford, NS, B1H 4K4 or by calling (902) 862-7522. On line condolences to the family can be expressed at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca Masks are required on funeral home facilities.