For the past nine years, Aisling Rice’s life has focused around a young man named Brandon.
Yet, she’s never met him.
Rice is a 31-year-old who went to school in upstate New York and, after finding love and moving to Fort Lauderdale in 2014, took a job as director of operations at a local charity called B the Difference. The “B” refers to Brandon Merritt, who died in 2011 at the age of 22 due to complications of neurofibromatosis (NF), a disease that causes tumors on the body’s nerve endings.
Brandon’s family lived in South Florida at the time and started the charity in his honor, so it could be a positive light for families suffering from NF. B the Difference finances trips for those who need a break from the stress of the disease. Financing is offered to destinations Brandon had loved, like Boston, Mass., and Beaver Creek, Colo.
Rice supports the operations of B the Difference. Serving as the sole employee, she manages the two galas that allocate funds to the charity and coordinates the trips in their entirety. She has assisted 55 families in creating memories they might never have experienced otherwise. Rice also disperses financial assistance to families dealing with NF. She’s like a guardian angel for those who have longed for one, though she modestly insists she’s merely fulfilling her role.
“My job keeps me grounded,” Rice says. “I’m on the phone every day talking to people, thanking me so they could keep food on the table or hearing them take incredible vacations, some haven’t even been on a plane before. It’s truly changed my outlook on life.”
Her perspective is that life is fleeting, prompting her to make the best of her own life with her husband, Joel Levy. Both work remotely so they are free to travel any time. They’ve been to Iceland, France and Costa Rica. Being part of B the Difference has motivated Rice to seize the moment for adventures, recognizing that the future is uncertain. She spends her days planning trips not only for others, but for herself, and is determined to continue making a mark on the world, just as Brandon is still doing today.