Marlborough – Bryan Morgan Pollard went home to Jesus on May 4, 2022 at the young age of 57 after battling years of severe hyperacusis, extreme photophobia, and crippling Parkinson’s disease.
Bryan was born to Steve and Gail Pollard on June 25, 1964, in Cleburne County, Alabama. When he was a boy, Bryan loved the woods on his family’s land in Borden Springs. When he wasn’t cutting grass or firewood for the winter, Bryan spent his spare time building trails in the field. He also built a cabin in the style of the old settlers, where he spent many nights after hunting squirrels. He graduated Valedictorian from Piedmont High School in 1982.
Bryan met his wife, Melanie, while attending Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. They were married at Borden Springs Church of Christ on a sweltering day in August 1985. They moved to Auburn, Alabama, where Bryan earned his electrical engineering degree in 1988. Bryan’s degree led to his first job as a Semiconductor process engineer with Digital Equipment Corporation in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Bryan loved living in Marlborough and lived there until his last day. He took his love into the woods with him and built trails in a natural area near his home, as well as trails for sledding in the snow in winter. He dedicated himself to fellowship in Jesus with believers in the area and always made time to share the gospel with others through Bible studies. Bryan and Melanie were blessed with the birth of his daughter, Amber, in the spring of 1998. This began a new adventure for Bryan to share his love of the forest and Jesus with Amber. They spent many winter days sledding down the trails he built behind his house.
After working for Digital for 10 years, Bryan started working for Intel Corporation. Bryan worked at Intel for 16 years as a process development, process improvement, defect reduction, and performance expert engineer. Bryan spent the last 8 years working for Verizon Wireless as a Risk and Quality Program Manager.
Bryan was also a dedicated research scientist in his spare time. When he and his wife began to suffer from hyperacusis, he searched for solutions. When he couldn’t find help in the medical community for the increasing pain of noise intolerance, he started a nonprofit organization, Hyperacusis Research, in 2011. Bryan worked tirelessly traveling across the country to bring attention to the greatest need and funding for research with this debilitating condition. Through its efforts to connect researchers at John’s Hopkins Hospital, the University of Maryland Center for Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, the University of South Florida, the University of Alabama, along with an NIH-sponsored trial, the advocacy Bryan’s brought new diagnoses to the field of otology.
In addition to being a dedicated and loving husband and father, Bryan also loved capturing memorable moments for his Church and family through photo and video production. He created a beautiful tribute to her mother on her 60th birthday and many videos of her daughter’s moments throughout her many dance recitals. Throughout his life, Bryan maintained an unwavering faith in God, which led him to generously share with anyone in need around him.
Bryan joins his grandparents, Rollie and Beatrice Morgan and Will and Lottie Pollard in Heaven. Bryan is survived by his wife Melanie, his daughter Amber, his brother Rodney, his sister Renae Shah, his parents Steve and Gail Pollard. He is also survived by many aunts, including Kay Baswell, Vivian Brown, Nell Ponder and uncles, Ken Pollard, Richard Pollard, Sam Morgan, as well as numerous cousins.
A memorial celebration of Bryan’s life will be held at Borden Springs Church of Christ on what would have been his 58th birthday on Saturday, June 25 at 2 p.m.
The family asks for donations to Bryan’s non-profit organization in his memory. Visit https://hyperacusisresearch.org/ to make a donation and help researchers find a solution for those with this condition.