My daughter, Ashley, was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes the week before her 8th birthday. It was a challenge for her to manage her diabetes and in the last few years that caught up to her. She spent over a year suffering from gastro paresis, she went legally blind in her left eye 3 times, went through retinal surgery and had an ulcer on the bottom of her foot so she was in a special boot for the better part of a year. In February, 2025 she died from complications of her diabetes at the age of 30.

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She suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression for many years. Through all of this she continued to post uplifting and positive messages on social media and gave love and support to everyone else. Complete strangers would stop her to talk and before you knew it, they were sharing their life story and Ashley was comforting or encouraging them. From school age on, she was always the one who reached out a helping hand or gave a kind word and made people feel welcome. She was everyone’s greatest cheerleader. These are just a few of the posts on her social media after she passed: “Such a kind soul, and beautiful person” “She was always so positive and had the kindest soul” “Ashley was a beautiful soul and was so caring” “Ashley was a beautiful person inside and out” “She always brightened my days with all her positive vibes, she was the sweetest person I have ever met” “Heaven gained the absolute sweetest angel”.

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She was the bravest person I have ever known and on so many occasions was the inspiration for me to be stronger, give more and endure longer. She lived her almost 31 years on full throttle. She loved deeply, defended those she loved fiercely and no matter what challenges she was dealing with she kept on facing life head on, with her chin up.

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For several years, she and I were part of a group that, once a month, prepared and served meals from scratch for anywhere from 70 to 200 needy people in the community. We both love serving others.

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Right after she passed, the family met and agreed that we did not want to financially benefit from her death and agreed to give the proceeds to a charity. Over the course of the next few days, God put on my heart that I should start a charity. I could think of no greater way to honor her memory, than create a charity to carry on her legacy of kindness and giving. I have filed all of the necessary paperwork and have received my determination letter from the IRS to operate as a 501(c)(3) charity. 

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I was a licensed Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of experience before I retired to run The ASHLEY Project. I have sat on the Board of Directors and served as the Treasurer of a not-for-profit social club for the past 18 years and have recently been asked to sit on the Board and serve as the Treasurer of another charity in the metro Detroit area. I feel well qualified to operate this charity and, per the by-laws, will not take any compensation.

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Nora Braniff