B.A.D Mission

07/30/2026

Bruce’s first deployment was also our first experience with Skype. It had just become a thing, and the first thing he did when he came home wasn’t buy something for himself—it was buy iPads for our mom and family so we could stay connected while he was overseas.

I lived for those Skype calls. I would wait for them like I was waiting for Jesus Himself.

Bruce never called to tell us about war. He never talked about the bombs, the danger, or what he had seen. Instead, he showed us the world through his eyes. He introduced us to the countries he was in, the strange foods he was brave enough to try, the friends and battle buddies he made along the way.

Looking back now, I realize he was protecting us. While we could sometimes hear explosions in the background, he kept the conversation focused on us. He’d ask about school, work, Mom, life back home—anything to make us smile.

Sometimes we’d stay on Skype all night, talking about nothing and everything. Those ordinary conversations became extraordinary memories.

Bruce served his country, but no matter where he was in the world, family was always his mission too.

Today, I’d give anything for one more Skype call. One more late-night conversation. One more chance to hear him say, “Hey, sis.”

That’s the Bruce I want people to remember—not just the soldier, but the brother who carried the weight of war while making sure his family only felt his love. 💚🌎🇺🇸

07/29/2026

🇺🇸 It’s official—our Rodeo Flag Run sponsorship is paid, and our family’s tickets are secured!

Eric’s Auto Body By Us is proud to sponsor the American Flag Run 🇺🇸 at the Lifted & Loaded Truck Show & Rodeo in loving memory of Bruce. This special moment will honor Bruce’s service and every brave man and woman who has served our country. ❤️🤍💙
J-3 Rodeo Productions

We’re looking forward to experiencing this meaningful tribute together as a family. Come out and join us for this unforgettable event!

📅 August 7–8, 2026
🐂 Rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. nightly
📍 St. Lucie County Fairgrounds
15601 Midway Road, Fort Pierce

🎟️ Purchase tickets here: https://mvticketfox.com

06/15/2026

People say we shouldn't talk about Veteran su***de.
- That it is uncomfortable.
- That it should remain private.
- That acknowledging it somehow gives it power.

But more than 140,000 Veterans have died by su***de since 2001 and behind every one of those losses is a family.

Silence does not erase the loss. It does not lessen the grief, and it doesn't help the families left behind. What silence often does is make those families feel alone.

At Green Star Families, we believe we can honor a Veteran's service, support su***de prevention, and acknowledge the families impacted by veteran su***de at the same time.

The conversation may be uncomfortable, but ignoring it has never been the answer.

06/14/2026

One act of kindness and compassion can stay with you forever. ❤️

After we lost Bruce, one of his fellow comrades—someone who had served overseas alongside him—flew in from out of state to attend his service. His presence meant more than words can express. He shared stories, offered comfort to my family and my mother, and reminded us of the bond he and Bruce had forged through service.

Before he left, he did something I will never forget.

He took off one of his dog tags—the one engraved with the Army Values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. I told him he shouldn’t give it to me. I told him he had children and that one day he might want to pass it on to them. He looked at me and insisted.

He had never taken that tag off, but that day he did.

Today, it sits beside Bruce’s ashes and a beautiful photograph of him smiling—the smile that could light up a room and make you forget your troubles, even if only for a moment.

For some reason, that dog tag brings me comfort. Maybe it’s because it represents the brotherhood they shared. Maybe it’s because it reminds me that Bruce mattered and that he is remembered. Or maybe his friend knew something I didn’t know then—that one day I would need that reminder close to me.

As I’ve tried to make sense of losing Bruce to veteran su***de, that simple act of kindness has carried more weight than I can explain. It reminds me that even in our deepest grief, people can show up for each other in extraordinary ways.

I never want another family to experience this kind of loss. I never want another veteran to feel so alone that they believe there is no way forward.

To every veteran who reaches out for help, to every family member who listens, and to every advocate working to make a difference—thank you.

Sometimes hope looks like a phone call. Sometimes it looks like a conversation. And sometimes it looks like a fellow soldier quietly removing a dog tag he has worn for years and placing it in the hands of someone who needs it most.

That act of kindness will stay with me forever.

05/25/2026

02/26/2026

There are things about Bruce’s life that most people will never fully understand.

He served as a Protective Security Specialist on High Threat Protection details for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and Kabul. That wasn’t a desk job. That wasn’t symbolic service. That was real-world, high-threat, convoy operations in active war zones.

He drove armored ERVs through environments where every overpass, every parked vehicle, every approaching car had to be assessed in seconds. He scanned for IED indicators. He monitored radio traffic. He positioned himself between danger and the people he was assigned to protect. He trained for embassy attacks. He prepared for worst-case scenarios so others could safely go home to their families.

Over 300 missions completed without serious incident.

That kind of record doesn’t come from luck. It comes from discipline. Hyper-awareness. Sacrifice. Long stretches away from home. Living in constant vigilance. Carrying stress most people never see.

He stood watch in places most people would never volunteer to stand.

He accepted the weight of responsibility for lives that weren’t his own.

And even after all of that — after war zones, convoys, and compound defense — he wrote about light. About hope. About searching through dust and still believing there’s something brighter ahead.

A man could only wish to be half the man Bruce was.

His commitment wasn’t just to a mission. It was to people. To protection. To the idea that the world could be safer, better, more connected.

I feel his warmth in his words. I see the change he wanted in this world. His service was real. His sacrifice was real. And his light still carries forward.

02/24/2026

Bruce’s intellectual abilities were endless.
His mind saw depth where others saw surface. He thought beyond the moment, beyond the obvious, beyond what most of us even consider.

His words still live with me. They’re etched into my heart — reminders of how deeply he felt, how far he thought, and how much he cared.

Missing him isn’t something that fades. It’s something that exists alongside love, pride, and gratitude for having known a soul like his.

I carry his words with me every day. And I always will. 🤍