Braeden Michael Bennett

Braeden Michael Bennett—son, grandson, great grandson, brother, and friend to all who knew him—died on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at his family home in Bakersfield, CA. He was 17 years old and a junior at North High School. 

Braeden was born on March 8, 2005 in Cleveland, OH and soon moved with his family to Bakersfield.  He was blessed with an inquisitive mind and an adventurous spirit.  As a child, he loved taking things apart in order to discover how they worked.  Braeden was highly creative and loved to design and build things.  He built his own range of scooters and always had a project that he was working on.  Braeden was well known at the skateparks in Bakersfield for his fearless trick riding and his knack for making friends.   

Braeden loved the ocean and spent endless hours surfing, bodyboarding, pier jumping and exploring in tide pools with his Nana.  He was curious about the natural world and often had a science book in his hand or was watching nature videos.  Braeden was a certified scuba diver and loved diving with his Bakersfield Scuba team at Catalina Island.  He loved animals and was known by many as the “Cat Whisperer.”  He gained the trust of numerous feral cats at Hart Park. 

As a young man with both passion and an intense sense of empathy, Braeden battled with mental illness for several years.  He is survived by his mother, MacKenzie Bennett and his younger sister Calliope; his grandparents Chris and Marisa Bennett; his aunt and uncle Carling and David Tanno; his cousins, Callum and Sawyer; and his great grandfather George Gaukel.   He is predeceased by his great grandmother, Jane Gaukel. 

A service of remembrance will be held at Parkside Church at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, 2022. All are welcome. The family requests those attending to wear casual attire.  A private interment service will be held at the Greenlawn Cemetery on River Boulevard in Bakersfield.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent in Braeden’s memory to S.A.L.T (Save a Life Today), 5612 Indian Wells Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93309 or saltkc.org.