Ren Brenner, known to many in massage as "Devon", passed away last week due to complications from a medical condition.

She was fairly active as a List provider and attended several Mixer parties.

She will be missed.

             

 

The following is a tribute to Devon from "Miss Bliss", a close friend:

 

Renee, or the artist formerly known as Devon…

Ren is a singularly amazing spirit.

Her smile was ever present to bring cheer.

Her touch reached out to give comfort and joy. She possessed a lust for life that is inspiring to behold. She was a people-pleaser and a giver, a goddess and a little girl, an angel and a demon, a brilliant, complex and accomplished woman. And she was probably the bravest chick I have ever met.

She also hid so much of her pain and struggle from us all. Very few people knew of Ren's medical condition, a rare genetic disorder known as porphyria.

She lived by a very strict diet, avoiding a whole list of foods that would affect her adversely. Her sheer volume of knowledge about vitamins, supplements, drugs and herbal remedies was impressive. She lived by them, really. Yet sometimes she would make dumb mistakes and inexplicably dose herself with the exact wrong pills at the exact wrong time.

It was ultimately a bad case of the flu that caught up with her. At the same time, she was taking incredibly high doses of prescription drugs for the treatment of panic attacks, and this may have exacerbated her problems.

She became dangerously anemic and passed out. Her caregiver tried desperate to revive her until help arrived. The paramedics administered CPR for an hour but were unable to keep her heart going.

It is a huge shock to so many who knew her to think of someone as healthy and vibrant as Ren, taken so soon.

Now don't get me wrong… she wasn't perfect. Nobody is. She had her quirks and peculiarities, just like the rest of us. I was privileged enough to know her flaws and still love her dearly. But then, she has lived a far more interesting life than the rest of us… so I figure she earned them fair and square.

She has been a scientist, an activist, a published author, a real estate mogul, a professional crop cultivator, a mover and a shaker, a schemer, a con-woman, a hustler, and a cat-lover like no other, but I think we all knew her best as a healer. I have felt her touch. I will never forget her kiss. I know the healing and peace she gave with her attention.

Most of all, she was an artist. But not of the sort who leaves behind a thousand paintings, or a body of written work. She was an artist who painted with the colors of her spirit… and we whom she touched are her canvas.

I meant to write this with humor and make it fun… because Ren had a thing for making fun out of every moment. She could always inject the humor and get a giggle out of me with that mischievous little sparkle in her eyes. She left her mark in me, and for that I feel very blessed.

Life is fragile, and it's finite.

Take good care of it.

We ALL know we're terminal.

Nobody knows how long we have.

Not ONE of us is gonna beat this thing.

Nobody gets out alive.

So while the time is given us… don't miss a chance to be kind, or at the very least have some fun!

Leave behind some rock star memories and a trail of broken hearts, like my amazing friend, the artist formerly known as Devon.

Ren… angels couldn't kiss sweeter than you, dear.

So I think it's time you go give them some lessons.

Try not to corrupt them all before I get there. I want some too!

All my love,

Your "Miss" Bliss

blisshealing@gmail.com