MORE ABOUT
THE BE TREE FOUNDATION
OUR MISSION
Founded by Ranie Evans, who lost her eldest son to suicide in 2021, the foundation seeks to raise awareness around mental health struggles and expand access to life-saving support and education to those in need. The foundation offers hands-on workshops for groups of all ages to support mental wellness and build resilience.
OUR STORY
The BE Tree Foundation was created in honor of Branden Evans and in honor of all those we’ve lost, with the belief that mental health is everything.
BRANDEN’S STORY
A brilliant light in this world put out too soon.
Branden was Ranie Evans Eldest son. As a diligent student and avid reader, he was known to fill his time with learning. He had his life mapped out: every milestone, every credit, every step he needed to take to become a doctor. He strived for not just straight A’s but 100%. Branden excelled in every subject. He loved math and wrote brilliant poetry in mere minutes with a hidden meaning in every stanza.
The only time Branden seemed to set down his burdens and let himself be a kid was when he would climb trees. There, he was free.
Sadly, Branden died by suicide on February 16th, 2021, leaving behind a loving family and all the potential of his bright future. We honor his life with this foundation and the symbol of his favorite climbing tree.
A MOTHER WITH A MISSION
A mother’s worst nightmare becomes a movement for change.
“Branden was a giant of a human. I know he would want answers brought to this pandemic that is taking so many of our loved ones. I was drowning in grief and made a promise to shed light on suicide awareness and become an advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. I knew instantly the name of our foundation and logo would have something to do with Branden’s love of climbing and his favorite tree. “
—- Ranie Evans
There is a myth that the more we talk about mental health and suicide, the more suicides we will have. The truth is the opposite. Our foundation works to support the mental health of our community and especially our youth through the JUST BE program, which teaches mindfulness, movement, and connection as a way to cope with anxiety and other challenging emotions.
THE BE TREE
The BE Tree, aka The Bear Tree, is the inspiration behind our name and logo.
Nestled in a forest on the Evan’s family ranch, there stands a gigantic Douglas fir. At 300 feet tall, this crooked and imperfect giant towers over the rest of the woods like a guardian. This is the BE Tree.
As a kid, Branden dubbed the BE tree the ‘Bear Tree’ for the claw marks etched into its bark by a black bear. Year after year, the Evans family returns to the BE tree and notices how its wounds heal and scars disappear.
Since Branden’s passing, we’ve renamed the tree in his honor, with ‘BE’ for Branden Evans. Our foundation is a tribute to Branden’s life, as well as a reminder that our imperfections are part of what makes us beautiful, and though we may be wounded, with time care and connection, we too can heal.
