22. "How do you rebuild your life after losing your home to a fire?" Interview with Brecken Armstrong.

Shownotes

This is a story about refusing to give up — even when life takes away your health, your relationship, and your feeling of safety.

In early January 2025, Brecken Armstrong lost her home in the devastating Eaton fire in Altadena, California. Her parents, living just minutes away, watched their own house go up in flames as well. They escaped with their lives — but almost nothing else. What this family lost was more than heirlooms, furniture, books, or photographs. They lost their shelter. Their memories. Their sense of home.

In this episode, Brecken shares how it feels when the life you built turns into ashes — and what it means to begin again. We talk about how different generations cope with sudden loss, why small objects found in the rubble can hold enormous meaning, and how starting over (again and again) shapes a person’s strength.

For Brecken, this wasn’t the first time life demanded a complete rebuild. She has faced profound setbacks before — and yet her story is one of hope, resilience, and an unbreakable will to rise.

This Podcast episode is about endurance. About rediscovering purpose. About never giving up.

You can learn more about Brecken’s story here: GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-restore-the-armstrongs-lives

We also discuss the work of Habitat for Humanity, an organization devoted to supporting people in need: https://www.habitat.org/

If you feel inspired to donate, your kindness will bring real help and hope to those who need it most. Thank you. The donation link provided does not give me, Mona Ruessmann, any financial benefit. All contributions go directly to the intended organization/purpose.

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Want to talk in person? I’d love to hear from you: worklifestories@t-online.de

Work.Life.Stories. on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2_UAMRfSF9Y