About Brody
Brody earned a degree in psychology from the University of Utah in 2003 and minored in sociology. He has a deep love of nature and the storied, picturesque vistas and canyons of Utah.
In 2006, Brody was hired as a full-time law enforcement river ranger with the Department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks. He was assigned to work in Grand and San Juan counties, located in the southeast corner of Utah.
He served as president of their officers’ association from 2013 to 2015. From 2013 to 2019, Brody acted as the assistant boating program manager for the State of Utah, which oversees education, enforcement, navigation, and rulemaking governing boating in the State. It was carrying passengers for hire, “river guiding” on the Colorado and Green Rivers through Desolation, Westwater, Cataract, and Grand Canyon, that led to being a river ranger. You could say he’s a hippy turned cop! He believes hippies make the best cops!
In December of 2019, Brody was promoted and continues to serve as a Lieutenant for state rangers that cover the eastern half of Utah.
Brody and his wife, Wendy, have been married since 1999. She was his river guide. She is still his rock. Now, they wrestle with three kids and live in Moab, Utah.
On the night of November 19th, 2010, while on patrol, Ranger Brody Young was ambushed from behind, shot nine times, and left for dead. He would not give up! He was presented with a choice as his assailant was standing over him, firing bullet after bullet.
What happened next defies reasoning. Brody got up, returned fire, and called for help before starting to bleed out and being rendered unconscious.
Doctors can’t explain how he survived—some say it was attitude, family, inspiration, or determination. If you ask Brody, he’d say it was all of the above.
For years, Ranger Brody battled his way back from what could have been an easy but woe-is-me lifestyle. However, he chose to live without limits—never giving up on becoming a full-time law enforcement state ranger again.
In addition to continuing to serve as a full-time State Ranger, Brody is available to speak at your next event or to your organization as a speaker talking about his experiences and what we all can learn from his will to live.
Previous Speaking Engagements:
Workers Compensation Fund of Utah (Multiple Times)
Mapleton City
Bridgerland Training Institute
Utah Peace Officers Association
Multiple Church Youth Groups
San Juan County Sheriff’s Office
Association of General Contractors (Twice)
Colorado River Law Association
Bureau of Criminal Investigations Utah
Lee B. Perry – Utah State Representative and Law Enforcement
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
FBI Citizens Academy of Cleveland, Ohio
National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
22nd Utah Sheriffs Association Conference
Missouri Traffic Safety Conference. Lake of the Ozarks.
Utah Basin Emergency Care Conference.
University of Utah Compensable Disability Seminar
Idaho Highway Safety Summit.
Maine Department of Inland Fishery and Wildlife.
Connecticut Department of Wildlife
Idaho Prosecuting Attorney Summer Safety Conference.
Salt Lake Police Department
Police Wives of Utah
Utah Prosecution Council *3 Events*
EMS Associates