Brela's Story

On Monday, August 10, 2026 our beautiful Brela ended her five-year battle with her invisible sickness and pain.

For five long years, Brela faced nausea, weakness, overwhelming fatigue and the uncertainty of not knowing how she would feel from one day to the next. So much of what she endured was invisible to the people around her. Because she often had days when she felt okay, it was difficult for others to truly understand just how hard the days of sickness were for her. Sadly, that lack of understanding became something she carried with her and had a profound impact on her young life.

I traveled with Brela to countless doctors and specialists, searching for answers, treatments, and anything that might make her feel better. I researched, asked questions and kept searching when answers were hard to find. I know her illness was real even when it couldn't be seen and when modern medicine didn’t have the answer for it.

Brela also struggled with her sense of self as sickness changed so many parts of her life. For a teenage girl losing the ability to play the sport she loved and be as active as she once was took its toll. She also had to navigate things that no young person should ever have to face, while trying to understand who she was and where she fit in a world that often didn’t understand what she was going through.

Despite all of this, Brela remained a sweet and kind soul. She was loved by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. She was smart, quick-witted, funny, and had a style completely her own. She was different and had a unique way about her. She had a way of making an impression on people simply by being herself.

We will always wish that we could have understood more and taken away her pain and the struggles she faced. We wish that she never had to feel misunderstood or alone in what she was experiencing.

Most importantly, we hope that Brela knows just how deeply she was loved.

Her physical and mental battle is over. She is finally free from the sickness and pain that she carried for so long. While our hearts are broken beyond words, we will hold onto every memory, every smile, every laugh, and everything that made Brela uniquely Brela. We hope that everyone who knew Brela remembers that it’s okay to be different, to be yourself, and to embrace the things that make you who you are.

If you are struggling with mental illness, emotional pain, or simply feel like you can’t keep going, please seek help. You don’t have to carry your pain alone. Sometimes the people who seem the most okay on the outside are fighting battles that no one else can see.

And if someone you love is struggling, please listen without judgment. Believe them. Be patient. Let them know they are seen, that hey are heard, and they matter. Be kind to people.

Please don’t ever be afraid to ask for help.

Fly free, sweet Brela. You were loved more than you could ever know.