Brie’s Gift offers a helping hand for families affected by leukemia

ALBANY – Three years after the tragedy of losing a daughter, Tracy Cruel is remembering the legacy of Brielle Cruel one comfort bag, gas card and meal at a time, assisting other families who are facing a loved one’s fight with leukemia.

Formed to honor Brielle Cruel, or Brie, the mother formed Brie’s Gift in November 2024 after Brie’s death on July 18, 2023.

“She was 22 when she was diagnosed and 23 when she passed away,” Cruel said. “She was never sick a day in her life, and she got sick and it suddenly took a turn.”

Brielle Cruel, a Dougherty High School graduate, started feeling unwell after her graduation from Clayton State University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and her return to Albany, where she was employed at the Levee Studios/Du Process.

After an initial diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver, doctors eventually determined that Brie had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. During her fight, she was forced to learn to walk, talk and care for herself, Brie’s mother said.

A bone marrow transplant provided by her brother, Tyrone, provided hope and a diagnosis of being cancer-free after the procedure. But the disease returned in January 2023.

After her daughter’s death, Cruel began to have a feeling that she should form an organization to assist families in similar situations. 

Trips to the Georgia Cancer Center were expensive, as were the meals and lodging associated with being on the road caring for loved ones. The Cruels were assisted by a donor who provided a place to stay.

“I pushed it away,” Cruel said of the voice telling her to do something. “I pushed it away a second time. The third time, I listened. Within two weeks I had my nonprofit started.”

Brie’s Gift helps others on the journey as caregivers by providing bags and gas cards, as well as meal support and travel assistance. It donates bags to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and the cancer center in Augusta.

Funding for the 501(c)(3) organization comes through sales on the Brie’s Forever 23 Gift Collection on the website as well as donations. Cruel has also held car washes and other fundraisers.

The organization is sponsoring a blood drive from noon-5 p.m. on Aug. 13 at 601 N. Washington St. During Brie’s illness she frequently had transfusions of one to two pints of blood, said Cruel, who made a presentation this week to the Dougherty County Commission.

Commission Chairman Lorenzo Heard and Commissioner Anthony Jones handed Cruel donations, leading Cruel and commissioners to grow emotional. She told commissioners that her daughter loved butterflies, a detail she found out from friends about after Brie’s death.

“To be honest, she was an introvert,” Cruel said. “I didn’t know she was so into butterflies until we had the first balloon release.”

A butterfly garden was planted at Radium Springs in the past, Commissioner Clinton Johnson said.

“We used to have a butterfly garden at Radium Springs,” he said. “We can look at bringing that back.”

Individuals who are interested can read Brie’s story and learn more about the organization at https://www.briesgift.org/. 

“I think that would be beautiful,” Cruel said of the Radium Springs butterfly garden. “Brie loved her school, she loved her city. I think that would be wonderful.

“Brie had seven siblings. She loved her siblings and she loved her family and she loved her community.”