Brett Lesley Cumberbatch (Hon BA, MEd, PhD Candidate) was born on the island of Barbados on June 7, 1983 and passed away on March 2, 2025. He immigrated to Ontario, Canada as a young child and enjoyed returning to his birthplace over the years.
He was a bright student, a lifelong learner, and an extremely intelligent person. In school, he wrote and performed poetry, engaged in public speaking, was a breakdancer, and played football. Later, his hobbies were voice acting, playing guitar, and playing sports video games on his beloved PlayStation. His favourite sports teams were The Philadelphia Eagles and Arsenal Football Club. Brett graduated from Lakeshore Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Ontario in 2002. He subsequently obtained his Honours Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College at the University of Toronto in 2007 then went on to complete his Master of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto in 2010. He was a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Manitoba in the Applied Health Sciences program.
Brett was an avid yogi and completed his 200 hr Certified Yoga Teacher Training. He enjoyed furthering his Yin and Pranayama practices, taking long road trips, and learning how to be a better INFJ (his personality type; introverted, intuitive, feeling, and judging). When time permitted, he would return to Texas where his heart soul felt most at peace.
Brett’s work, academics, and life were driven with purpose and integrity therefore he sought authentic professional and personal relationships. Brett nurtured his students and people he knew because he genuinely cared and wanted them to succeed. He was a passionate person with many dreams. His most recent dream was to become the “Dean of Student Wellness” at a University in the South. Brett had so much to offer this world. He is missed immensely and will always be remembered for his compassionate presence. He gave the best hugs!