Brenna and Renee Need Us

On December 1, 2023, Brenna was admitted to UT Medical Center Neuro-ICU after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke in her brain. Brenna is a mommy to two amazing babies, Kahlyn and Arryn. She is the best Disney sing-a-long-songs performer I’ve ever met, and she needs our help. Brenna has fought for years over countless health and mental health issues, and our girl and her body is tired. The coming few days and weeks are critical to Brenna’s survival, and though her prognosis at the time is not good, she continues to amaze us and her team of doctors. I will never give up on her, but it takes a village. I am creating this campaign to raise money for her mother, Renee, to be able to afford to take the time she needs off to be there with her daughter during this crucial time. Every second counts, and during this day and age, living paycheck to paycheck is a commonality many of us share. I want to alleviate some of the pressure and stress off of Renee, so that she is able to be there every minute she can for her baby girl while they are experiencing this hard time and to potentially assist in the long road ahead Brenna will have during recovery, if it becomes a possibility. Renee and I are desperately begging it does. Brenna is Renee’s only daughter, and it has always been the two of them against the world. It should be the two of them now. (I am most gratefully a humble honorary member of their two-woman wolf pack.) Thank you so much for taking the time to invest in the health and survival of the most beautiful soul I’ve ever known. Please donate if you can, please share, and please keep Brenna and those of us who love her the most in your thoughts. 

—

In 2010, I started working at a pizza place in Pigeon Forge. I give Mellow a lot of credit for the early development I made as a server and bartender, but the best thing I gained from working there was by far Brenna. For going on 14 years, we have stood beside each other on so many walks of life. We were pregnant together, I stood beside her as a bridesmaid, we’ve had our hearts broken together, had our spirits attacked and tested together, and have spent years with hundreds of miles in between us. Our friendship has survived it all. Anyone who worked with us back in the day, or has been around us together pretty much ever, can attest to the fact that she is an extension of me. She is the exact opposite of a fair-weather friend, she is one of the very few I will run to when I am dead center in the eye of a storm and she has held on through every single one. We laugh so, so, SO much together. But we also tell each other hard truths, we give each other hard pills to swallow, and most importantly we have always made the commitment to each other to be there on the other side. Even if we’re gonna make some shitty jokes about it for 10+ years afterwards. She is family to me. Best friends doesn’t even do the relationship justice.

 But now my fierce, fearless, kind, brown-eyed bby is in a storm. I will be here on the other side, but she may need some help through. I believe there is faith in numbers, I believe in the power of community, and I wholeheartedly believe that if any of you all knew Brenna the way I do, offering her support right now would be a no-brainer.