In Loving Memory of Ashley Falcon

I hope you are having a wonderful week as you are probably preparing for Christmas! Over this past weekend, there was a very sad situation that occurred in Brittany Bruce Education world. Some of you may have heard, we lost one of our treasured students, Ashley Falcon, who passed away on Saturday. She was headed to meet family in Tennessee for a Christmas vacation and stopped midway in Alabama to sleep overnight; the next morning they found her passed away in the hotel. We are saddened by losing such an amazing woman, friend, and photographer. Due to this tragedy, I wanted to talk this week about “Live Today As If It Were Your Last”.

Ashley’s sudden passing was such an eye opener for all of us and has prompted us to live today like it’s our last.

You never know when your last day on this earth will be. She was headed for a fun time with family and didn’t make it there. We are grieving about such a loss but we are so grateful for her life. I personally never met Ashley in person but I was able chat with her via FaceTime with Brittany. She was one of the funniest, sweetest, and kindest people I’ve talked to. She was in the 2020 Spring Retreat group and she lit up the room with her joy and heart.

Her laugh was one you would never forget! She called me her fellow “coonass” since both of us grew up in cajun country south Louisiana. From the stories I’ve been told, she had such a giving heart. She always put others before herself and poured her life and soul into other people. Her life will NEVER be forgotten and we will all model her perspective and outlook in life.

After her passing, Brittany and I have both been taking time reflecting on our own lives.

Are we taking a “live today like it’s your last” approach? Are we living to the fullest each day? Is there anything in our lives that is holding us back from reaching our fullest potential? I think about our family, our kids, and each of you. To be honest, I take life for granted each day; I live each day as if I’m guaranteed tomorrow but that isn’t the case.

It makes me have a perspective on how I treat my kids each day, how much love do I show them, how much quality time am I spending with them, and what kind of example am I setting for them. It also makes me think about being a better husband to Brittany; how can I serve her better, how can I love her more, and how can I put her first each day. Life is such a gift and such a fleeting thing; our life is but a vapor in time and will come and go.

How can we begin to live each day as if it were your last?

I want to encourage each of you to examine the relationships in your life today.

Is there strife and problems that haven’t been resolved amongst your family? Try to mend those relationships today; it’s not worth holding onto the pain and anger that may be driving division in your family. We had a personal family situation that has been brewing for the past 2 years that has caused major awkwardness, disconnect, and pain.

Thankfully yesterday, we met together and overcame our differences and mended the relationships that were broken.

We knew that we didn’t want to spend another Christmas holiday divided and we will move forward as a family to bring each other back together. Life is too short and family is too important to let brokenness win. Try today to take perspective and think of what in your life needs to be fixed and how you can mend all relationships in your life.

Life is a precious gift we have been given by our Creator that we need to cherish.

The impact you will leave in the world will be remembered. Is how you’re living your life today the way you want to be remembered? It’s a chilling thought to think that today may be the very last day on this earth. I want hate that day to be wasted or spend that day angry, bitter, sad, and unaccomplished. To be remembered as a loving father and husband, a man of great Faith, and a mentor that helped serve thousands of people just like you. I want to personally thank each of you for allowing Brittany and I to serve you each day and we don’t want a single day to go by where we don’t pour our lives into you.

I pray that you will begin to live today as if it were your last.

with so much love,

The Bruce Family

In loving memory of the beautiful and amazing, Ashley Falcon. May you Rest In Peace and walk the streets of gold with our Savior Jesus. We love you and you will FOREVER be a part of Brittany Bruce Education. ♥️

Did you miss last weeks Tuesdays with Thomas? Find it here!