Brian P. Walsh

As a seventeen-year-old volunteer firefighter, Brian Walsh had so much to look forward to—then, in an instant, caught in a burning building where everything went wrong, he found himself clinging to life, his face burned beyond recognition. He wasn’t expected to live; once it was clear he would, he wasn’t expected to achieve any of the dreams he once had. Even loved ones encouraged him to pursue a career and life that would keep him largely hidden.

He chose another route.

At nineteen, from behind the mask he wore for two years, and after three dozen facial surgeries, he met the love of his life. At twenty-one, he became an insurance agent, one of the nerviest, most “face-to-face” jobs imaginable. At twenty-six, he co-founded Walsh & Nicholson Financial Group, which today serves over 1,000 clients in wealth management, estate and retirement planning, and more.

While it’s hard for people to believe that Walsh’s tragedy was a blessing in disguise, so much of the success he’s enjoyed and the joy he’s experienced – and certainly the life lessons he’s learned – he’d probably never have known. Forced to grow up faster and harder than almost everyone he knew, he realized what a gift he’d been given. He understood that people would not forget him because of his face; he was determined that they never forget him because of the life he lived.

In his book, Beyond the Mask: How My Tragedy Sparked an Incredible Life: Lessons I Might Never Have Learned, Walsh explores – in his irreverent, straightforward, story-rich style – what others “lucky” enough to have escaped such tragedy need to know. With a deep radio voice and easy manner, Walsh has been keynote speaker to rapt audiences across numerous industries. Walsh holds the esteemed designation of Certified Financial Fiduciary, is a past President of the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation Board, and is deeply involved in charitable pursuits, including finding a cure for juvenile diabetes and supporting firefighters.

A sometimes cursed Philadelphia sports fan, Walsh lives in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with his wife Mary Ann. They have three children and two beautiful granddaughters.