Anderson “Andy” John Bradbury

Anderson “Andy” John Bradbury, 42, passed away Saturday, May 31, 2025, surrounded by his loving wife Kristin McCarthy Bradbury, their children, Eleanor Catherine, Sarah Margaret, and George Anderson, his mother Janet Anderson Bradbury of Washington, North Carolina, his father the Rev. William John Bradbury (Stephanie) of Lowell, Massachusetts, and his sister Catherine Winter Bradbury Wellman (Jacob) of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Andy was born in Augusta, Georgia, on October 11, 1982. In 1985, the Bradburys moved to Washington, North Carolina, where Andy grew up in the idyllic neighborhood of Short Drive on the Pamlico River. Washington provided Andy a joyful childhood full of river swimming and lifelong friendships.

Andy graduated from Woodberry Forest School in 2001 and Wofford College in 2005. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha and earned a BA in Political Science and Philosophy. Andy spent his college summers as a whitewater rafting guide on the Nantahala and Chattooga Rivers, along with time in Yellowstone National Park.

After college, Andy indulged his love of the outdoors by moving to Colorado to be a “ski bum,” working hard in order to spend his free time skiing and hiking. While in Telluride and Steamboat Springs, his interest in medicine piqued, and he became a certified Wilderness First Responder and volunteer EMT.

He returned to North Carolina to attend nursing school at UNC-Chapel Hill, graduating with his BSN in 2010. It was during this program, while waiting for a bus to campus at the corner of South Columbia Street and Purefoy Road, that Andy met the love of his life, Kristin. Their chance meeting sparked an instantaneous connection, signaling to both that they had found their partner in life.

Andy and Kristin’s early years were marked by joy as they welcomed their daughters, Eleanor and Margaret, while Andy worked in Duke’s Neuro ICU and completed his MSN, AGNP at UNC’s School of Nursing. For the next five years, Andy worked as a nurse practitioner with Yale’s Hospitalist Service at St. Raphael’s Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut. Andy and Kristin’s son, George completed their family while in Connecticut, and Andy reflected fondly on the time spent watching their children grow by the Long Island Sound and giggle through the New England weather.

In 2019, Andy accepted a position with UNC’s Department of Cardiology and moved the family back to Chapel Hill. This work revealed a passion for electrophysiology, evident through his interactions with co-workers and patients. Andy met the demands of the job with a holistic approach, treating illness effectively and using patient input as guidance.

Andy intentionally managed his professional life in a way that allowed him time to dedicate to his favorite thing in the world – his family. “Team Bradbury,” including their beloved dog, Sylvie, cherished as much time together as possible, and there was no place Andy would rather have been. Always available for adventures, epic games of UNO, painting toenails blue, snuggling on the couch, dance-school carpools, fly fishing lessons, camping on the Eno, or weekend tennis matches, his devotion to them was evident in every facet of his life. Andy also delighted in his woodworking hobby, building furniture, climbing walls, and a boat. His ability to learn and grow seemed boundless.

In his passing, Andy was able to make numerous lifesaving gifts through HonorBridge Organ Donation. It was fitting Andy left this earth the same way he walked it: over the top and a little bit different, but always beautiful and with a perfect final product.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Triangle Land Conservancy (https://triangleland.org), a local conservation group in your area, or your favorite National Park.