Brianna Louise Delagran passed away at the age of 29 in the early hours of the morning on May 16th, 2018 at home in Montreal with her family after a long battle with cancer. Brianna was a devoted friend, partner, daughter, and sister. She was an educator and a teacher aspiring to develop a career in adult education.
A memorial service for Bri’s Montreal friends and family took place on June 3rd at Arena St-Louis, where Bri discovered her love of roller derby. The Minneapolis remembrance for Bri took place on Sunday June 24 at Wirth Park Pavillion on Glenwood Ave. Both were large and lovely celebrations of Bri--she would have loved them!
Tributes
Leave a tributeToday I visited the two cherry trees planted by Lake of the Isles in honor of your life. There are painted rocks at the base of each tree, and I noticed that there was something new, a blue tennis ball with some of the fuzz pulled off, just like Emery loves to do. There are many who were positively changed by you. I believe you are still changing people who never actually met but know of you thru the stories about you. I can only imagine what more we could have learned from you. Many are remembering you and missing you. Happy Birthday Bria!
I am grateful to Brianna for introducing me to the poetry of Mary Oliver. I wonder what other authors she would have recommended? I have learned that she was a natural teacher and a deep thinker. I wish there had been more time to know Bri as an adult. I know I would have learned a lot from her. She would have pushed me out of my comfort zone which has its benefits.
Although, life did not give her the time she deserved, Brianna’s influence lives on in all of us whose lives she touched.
Loving you always our dear daughter (and still reading books you might have recommended).
Mom and Dad
PS And I didn't even mention her roller derby persistence!
At one point in the ceremony, Bri whispered “I need words,” a heart-breaking message from a woman who was so articulate, who would so thoughtfully listen, then come forth with just the right words. So on this day, Bri, we will all give you words. We will give you words and images and the felt sense of joy and curiosity and love and compassion and courage that you brought to the world.
We will hold those words and spirit in our hearts forever.
Here is a poem that seems to breathe the loss of Bri.
The Still Life
By Mark Sanders
Now—just at that silent place,
Between sadness and gratitude,
wind-worn balances we all weather—
a cardinal leaps from a bare trim limb,
its red bloom lingering. The sun down
in deepening darkness
where night clouds consume it,
evanescence of orange and purple.
How moment passes how memory
holds. The heart must break
if it has ever felt joy. The heart must
break because diminished things matter,
and having mattered hold, still.
You were here. For us. Then break, heart.
Your fingers lie upon the pulse of our days.
Dear Forever Missed Brianna Louise Delagran,
On behalf of Gender Creative Kids Canada, I would like to offer my most sincere gratitude for your donation towards our organization.
Your support makes it possible for our organization to continue forward on its mission of providing peer support and resources that affirm and empower gender creative kids and their families, within their schools and communities. This heartfelt donation will help us achieve our vision of assuring that our world is a safe, affirming and joyful place for all children.
We shall share your beautiful life and stories with the children and families of our organization who love unconditionally and without judgement. Your donation demonstrates love; a love that does not sit there like a stone, but rather a love that has been made like bread, and shared, to inspire all to remake it all the time.
With immense gratitude, I remain
Yours truly,
Connie Chabot
Chair, Gender Creative Kids Canada
I didn't know her, I left the Montreal league before she joined, but I feel deeply for your loss. Cancer is brutal, and takes so many people too soon.
I wish comfort to everyone in their time of loss.
My most heartfelt condolences to Brianna's family during this terrible time. Dave, Louise and Megan, my heart breaks for you.
“When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure”
Condolences to friends and family.
Leave a Tribute
Today I visited the two cherry trees planted by Lake of the Isles in honor of your life. There are painted rocks at the base of each tree, and I noticed that there was something new, a blue tennis ball with some of the fuzz pulled off, just like Emery loves to do. There are many who were positively changed by you. I believe you are still changing people who never actually met but know of you thru the stories about you. I can only imagine what more we could have learned from you. Many are remembering you and missing you. Happy Birthday Bria!
I am grateful to Brianna for introducing me to the poetry of Mary Oliver. I wonder what other authors she would have recommended? I have learned that she was a natural teacher and a deep thinker. I wish there had been more time to know Bri as an adult. I know I would have learned a lot from her. She would have pushed me out of my comfort zone which has its benefits.
Although, life did not give her the time she deserved, Brianna’s influence lives on in all of us whose lives she touched.
August 22nd, 2018
Dear Forever Missed Brianna Louise Delagran,
On behalf of Gender Creative Kids Canada, I would like to offer my most sincere gratitude for your donation towards our organization.
Your support makes it possible for our organization to continue forward on its mission of providing peer support and resources that affirm and empower gender creative kids and their families, within their schools and communities.This heartfelt donation will help us achieve our vision of assuring that our world is a safe, affirming and joyful place for all children.
We shall share your beautiful life and stories with the children and families of our organization who love unconditionally and without judgement.Your donation demonstrates love; a love that does not sit there like a stone, but rather a love that has been made like bread, and shared, to inspire all to remake it all the time.
With immense gratitude, I remain
Yours truly,
Connie Chabot
Chair, Gender Creative Kids Canada
So many memories!
Brianna, you were the best childhood friend anyone could ask for. When I think back to special memories and growing up in Minneapolis, I can’t help but think how lucky I was to have lived only one block from you. I will never forget your special yellow house, your incredible collection of play mobile toys that was always set up in the playroom, and of course your guinea pigs (I will always remember you as queen of the guinea pigs!) One year for Halloween we wore poodle skirts and of course, you had a guinea pig on your skirt instead of a poodle, you were always so creative and fun. Your parents were amazing, and I will never forget the elaborate birthday party’s they threw for you. If I recall correctly, one year you had a travel birthday party where we “visited” different countries, I just remember being a little girl thinking “wow” how incredibly cool is this party! And who could forget the time when we were really little girls, we dressed up in my moms lingire and high heels and pushed baby doll strollers up and down Colfax Ave (I’m on a mission to find those pictures!) When I moved to Madison in 3rd grade, I was mostly worried about missing my friends, especially you, Leah, and Kaitlin! Of course we stayed in touch and you would travel to Madison to spend a week with me, attend my birthday party’s since my birthday is in July, and go to camp. We went to Hoofbeat Ridge one year and we both fell in love with the big brown horse Bay Boy, I’ll never forget how we would race to see who would get to him first. One year you and Leah came down for the summer and we went to the Humane Society camp, we loved animals! My last sleepover with you was at your new house, we were a little older and when everyone fell asleep you convinced me to pierce your nose (we were definitely rule breakers at times!) The next morning we were a little nervous about how your parents would react, your mom didn’t believe us at first but when she looked I just remember her saying “Brianna!” She was so calm about the situation and we were both pleasantly surprised.
Brianna, you made my childhood unforgettable and fun, I could not have asked for a better friend. As I raise my three little children, my hope for them is that they too will find their “Brianna” to make lifelong memories with. I am so thankful and blessed to have known you for so many years and I will forever cherish the friendship we shared. Your physical presence on this earth will be greatly missed.
The Dog did it!
When Brianna was on vacation with us she became ill and we had to have her hospitalized in La Junta, Colorado while they did some tests. Our niece had just gotten a little pug and since Brianna loved dogs, we snuck the dog into the hospital to visit Brianna- the perfect medicine which helped lift her spirits.