Who is Tender Branson from Survivor and what is their importance?

Tender Branson is the main character of the novel. Tender tells his entire story as Flight 2039 to Australia is about to crash. He is recording everything into the flight recorder. In the novel, he reveals that he is a member of the Creedish Church, also known as the Creedish Death Cult. The cult prepared Tender for a life of service in the outside world. All the money he made working went back to the Church. When Tender was 23, the entire church committed suicide, so that they could be delivered back to Heaven. Tender was also supposed to commit suicide but does not.