Brady Hopper’s Road to Restoration: From Near Death to Driven Purpose

By Rhonda Jessup, Director of Public Relations, University of Mount Olive

Brady Hopper, a sophomore agribusiness major, doesn’t just drive a rare car, he drives a story of survival, strength, and purpose. Behind the wheel of his matte black and cherry-red 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook, Hopper carries more than horsepower; he carries a mission rooted in faith, service, and inner strength.

Raised in the small town of Randleman, NC, Hopper once envisioned himself at a large university. However, after a campus visit to UMO, the close-knit community, welcoming professors, and faith-based values redirected his course. Now majoring in agribusiness with a minor in Christian studies, Hopper is building a future that blends his passion for agriculture with a calling to ministry.

His journey to UMO and to life itself nearly never happened. During his freshman year of high school, Hopper suffered from juvenile absence epilepsy, experiencing as many as 150 seizures a day. Then came the unimaginable: in 2020, he suffered a seizure that caused his heart to stop. He was clinically dead for 56 minutes. Miraculously, he was revived. The experience not only changed his life it became the foundation for his unwavering sense of purpose. “I shouldn’t be here. But I am and that means I’ve got something important to do,” Hopper said.

That purpose is symbolized by the car passed down from his late grandfather, Ronnie “PeePaw” Hopper. The two spent nearly a decade restoring the once-rusted classic in a one-bay garage. Hopper recalls helping fabricate a custom battery stand for the new engine, one of many upgrades that modernized the vintage frame. The car now features a Chevrolet engine, Edelbrock racing parts, and a bold finish that turns heads everywhere it goes. Though Ronnie Hopper originally planned to paint the car army green, he surprised everyone with the now-iconic matte black and cherry red finish, a bold reflection of the car’s and Hopper’s transformation. Today, Hopper maintains and drives the Cranbrook as a tribute to his grandfather’s vision and to the bond and memories they forged beneath the hood.

Hopper’s transformation extends far beyond the garage. At UMO, he is active in campus ministries and agribusiness organizations. He recently completed an internship as a Field Scout with Coastal Agribusiness, helping farmers manage crops and solve real-world challenges. After graduation, he hopes to work in the agricultural industry during the week and preach on weekends, sharing his story and his faith.

His favorite course so far is the Gospels. He sees the class as the bedrock of his future in ministry. “Faith is at the center of everything I do,” Hopper says. “It’s what carried me through, and it’s what drives me forward.”