BriAnna Rose Kruzel passed away unexpectedly on September 28, 2013, from unknown causes. She was just 18 years old. She left behind her parents, Randy and Tami Kruzel, along with her two brothers, Josh Kulus and Brandon Kruzel. Shortly after, BriAnna’s family and friends established What Would Bri Do (WWBD) – a 501(c)3 with the goal of supporting young people and organizations in need through monetary grants and scholarships. In just under 10 years, the legacy of BriAnna has shown so brightly, and continues to grow in our communities – and beyond.
“After we lost BriAnna we found that our friends and family could not fully understand our pain. We quickly learned that we did not want them to understand because that would mean that they were going through the same pain, the same grief, and the same emptiness as we were. We found our grief journey to be a lonely place. What Would Bri Do was initially established as not only a way to bring some purpose to the overwhelming grief our family was carrying, but also to continue Bri’s spirit of compassion and generosity. BriAnna was a kind and optimistic young woman who dedicated her life to helping others and was an active volunteer for many causes. She received several volunteering commendations including the “High School Big Sister of the Year” award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota and the “Youth Appreciation Award” from the St. Cloud Optimist Club. WWBD was founded in her honor as a way of doing some of the work that Bri herself would have surely done had she lived into her adulthood. Doing this work helps us feel as though we are still connected to her in a very tangible way and ensures that something good can come out of this tragedy.”
“Over the first six years, we distributed approximately $50,000 to various local organizations such as the Sartell-St. Stephen Community Education dance program, a local Girl Scout Troop, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota, and Terebinth Refuge. This also includes the placement of a beautiful Angel of Hope in Sartell on Lake Francis.”
Randy and Tami visited Faith Lodge in Wisconsin in 2018 and were inspired by the organization’s dedication to helping their local community. Moved by their experience, WWBD began working to raise funds to build their own space – right here in Central MN – for those in need. Bri’s Lodge aims to provide support for those experiencing loss of a child (at any age), perinatal loss, spousal loss, suicide loss, loss of a parent, or loss of a sibling.”
“Allowing a grieving person to talk, laugh, or cry with someone who is going through a similar loss allows them to start the healing process. Bri’s Lodge would offer a place where those who are grieving can make connections with others traveling on a similar grief journey. We believe no one should have to grieve alone and want to establish Bri’s Lodge as a leader in connecting those grieving a loss with the support that they need to make their journey less difficult. People are yearning to connect with someone sharing a similar type of pain, but making those connections is a challenging task when the resources do not exist or are not readily available. Our goal is to make those connections available and easy to access. Since all people grieve differently, our hope is that other community organizations will help us in developing other grief resources for all that need our assistance.”
Currently, Bri’s Lodge is primarily focusing on companioning individuals and providing support groups. “Companioning is a small piece of our programming that will provide a place for individuals to meet on a one-to-one basis to share their feelings in response to profound loss. We have companions that are certified by The Center for Loss and Life Transitions with a minimum of 150 hours of classes and training in Fort Collins, Colorado.”
“Ultimately, our goal is to make Bri’s Lodge a place that will offer retreats to support those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Retreats will run from Thursday evening to Sunday morning. Each retreat will be programmed for specific types of losses and include healing through the five senses such as sight (memorial displays, beautiful scenery), smell (bonfires, aromatherapy, fresh air), hearing (storytelling, nature, and music), taste (meals, snacks, beverages) and touch (massage, healing crafts and meditation). Activities will be offered to assist in the healing process, including picnics, bonfires, and healing crafts. Talking about your loved ones is therapeutic so group socializing opportunities will also be offered.”
Previously a full-time RN, Bri’s mom left her job in 2020 to work on fulfilling the mission of Bri’s lodge full-time. “Developing Bri’s Lodge has been what has helped me get through my own journey. It has provided me with a purpose, a reason to keep moving forward in life. All of this will not bring her back but we have been able to take our tragic loss and turn it into a reason why we lost our sweet Bri.”
“If you or someone you know would like to support our cause, you can do so in many ways:
- Attend our Evening of Hope on April 1st. Enjoy a meal, music, a silent auction, speakers Liz Fiedler & Gary McPheters, and games of chance. Tickets are available here
- Share our information and resources with your grieving friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors…no one should grieve alone
- Cash and/or recurring monthly donations made on our website
- In-Kind donation – Silent auction items for the Evening of Hope Fundraiser, office supplies, beverages, individually wrapped snacks, Kleenexes, paper plates, and napkins.
- Follow us on Social Media and organize a Facebook Birthday Fundraiser
- Land/Building donation for lodge construction
- Endowment or memorials
- Attend local meat raffles – March 3rd, March 17th, April 21st, & April 28th at the Sauk Rapids VFW
- Shop our online store
“It has been amazing to spread the message of what we can offer our community and how we can collaborate with other organizations to fulfill our mission. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of our community. I know we’ll need the continued support and generosity of our community to achieve our mission that No One Should Grieve Alone.”
#StCloudShines
