Live Like Braun

Summary

Podcast Summary: Kennedy Saves the World – “Live Like Braun”

Host: Kennedy
Guest: Jen Levy
Date: September 3, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this deeply personal and moving episode, Kennedy sits down with Jen Levy, mother of Braun Levy, whose life was tragically cut short by a drunk driver after his family was displaced by the devastating Pacific Palisades fires. The conversation explores themes of resilience, grief, community, and the drive to turn pain into purpose. Together, they discuss Braun’s remarkable legacy, the founding of the “Live Like Braun” Foundation, and the transformative power of support, perspective, and action in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Palisades Fires and Community Resilience

• [00:10–03:12]
  • Kennedy recounts the devastation caused by the Pacific Palisades wildfires, noting the destruction of a tight-knit, special community where her friendship with Jen began.
  • The Levys, like many families, lost their home but initially persevered with gratitude for health and togetherness.

Notable Quote:

“After the fires, we always said, ‘Well, we're all healthy and we're all together, so we're going to be okay.’” – Jen Levy [04:17]

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The Loss of Braun and the Grieving Process

• [03:12–08:31]
  • The conversation turns to the tragic loss of Braun, Jen’s only son, described as vivacious, loving, and a nationally ranked junior tennis player.
  • Jen recounts the initial shock, traditional grief counseling, and the transformative experience of working with a “grieve coach.”

Important Segment:

• [06:32] The distinction between grief counseling and a grief coach; the latter provides actionable tools and empowers Jen to find purpose in her pain.

Notable Quote:

“I am not going to fall victim to this. I am going to turn my pain into purpose and try to do something positive.” – Jen Levy [07:09]

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Legacy and the “Live Like Braun” Mindset

• [07:26–09:56]
  • Kennedy and Jen discuss the impact of celebrating a young person’s vibrant life, and the bittersweet reality that Braun’s legacy lives on through the memories and actions of others.
  • Jen emphasizes that every parent who loses a child suffers equally, regardless of circumstances.

Notable Quote:

“No parent should ever have to bury their child. It is. It's the unthinkable.” – Jen Levy [09:10]

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Choosing to Rebuild: Home, Community & Metaphor

• [09:19–11:33]
  • Many in the Palisades have chosen to leave permanently. Jen and her family, however, will rebuild their home of 23 years, echoing their never-give-up spirit and honoring Braun by maintaining roots in the community.

Notable Quote:

“We're gonna go back home where we raised our family, and we're gonna build a new life there, just as the whole Palisades is rebuilding.” – Jen Levy [10:34]

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Shifting Perspective on Loss

• [11:33–12:10]
  • Jen voices the painful reality of losing irreplaceable mementos. After losing Braun, material things took on less importance, with family and health becoming paramount.

“You lose all those momentums, but at the end of the day, it's just a thing. It's a material possession. And if you have your family and you're all alive...you can do anything.” – Jen Levy [11:58]

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The Tennis Community, US Open, and Support

• [12:28–14:18]
  • The tennis world, including the USTA and figures like Pam Shriver, rallied around the Levys, providing global visibility and emotional support.
  • Jen describes tennis as individualistic but shares how Braun’s spirit brought people together.

“The tennis community has given us so much love and support and strength and encouragement. I will forever be indebted to them.” – Jen Levy [14:13]

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Founding the Live Like Braun Foundation

• [14:47–18:47]
  • Jen explains how the foundation arose organically in the days after Braun’s passing, as friends sought meaning beyond condolences.
  • The movement’s core message: embrace action, service, kindness, and courage, inspiring others to “live like Braun.”

“He was friends with everybody...He was always smiling and he was fearless. And...we can't let that [his magnetic force] be gone. We have to...live like Braun.” – Jen Levy [16:08–16:45]

• Details on scholarships:
  • The Braun Levy Scholarship at Loyola for high school students
  • The foundation supports post-high school academic or vocational pursuits for passionate young people, not limited to four-year colleges.

Memorable Interchange:

“As long as that person has passion.” – Jen Levy [18:47]

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Grief, Saying “Yes,” and Navigating Loss in Community

• [19:09–21:29]
  • Jen commits to saying “yes” to new experiences in Braun’s spirit.
  • Discussion about discomfort others feel around the grieving, and how Jen addresses it head-on with humor and openness, helped by her grief coach.

“Some people are afraid to talk to me...So sometimes I'll bring it up just to get it out of the way.” – Jen Levy [20:24]

• Importance of keeping Braun’s memory alive, for her family and the community:

“We still have to live a full, loving life, and I know that's what Bron would have wanted.” – Jen Levy [21:44]

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Memorable and Heartfelt Moments

• “There is hope, there is love, you know, there is God, even though it feels like an incredible injustice.” – Kennedy [16:56]
• “He’ll always be a part of our family.” – Jen Levy [21:27]

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Foundation Information & Call to Action

• Live Like Braun Foundation: livelikebraunfoundation.org [22:26]
• Merch proceeds and donations support youth scholarships and positive action programs.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “After the fires, we always said…‘We’re all healthy and together, so we’re going to be okay.’” – Jen Levy [04:17]
• “I am not going to fall victim to this. I am going to turn my pain into purpose.” – Jen Levy [07:09]
• “No parent should ever have to bury their child. It is the unthinkable.” – Jen Levy [09:10]
• “We can’t let that be gone. We have to—it motivated other people. Hey, I’m going to live like Braun.” – Jen Levy [16:27]
• “You lose all those momentums, but…if you have your family and you’re all alive and you’re safe and you’re healthy, you can do anything.” – Jen Levy [11:58]
• “He’ll always be a part of our family.” – Jen Levy [21:27]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:10] Pacific Palisades fires and community roots
• [03:12] Tragedy of losing Braun; impact and grief
• [06:32] Role of grief coach vs. traditional therapy
• [09:19] Decision to rebuild home and stay in Palisades
• [12:28] The tennis community’s response
• [14:47] Birth and philosophy of the Live Like Braun Foundation
• [18:02] Scholarship details and inclusivity of non-college paths
• [19:09] Embracing “yes”—living life fully after loss
• [20:21] Navigating community and conversations around grief

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Tone and Takeaways

The episode is heartfelt and hopeful, blending sorrow, resilience, and humor. Kennedy and Jen’s candid, compassionate exchange ensures the listener feels both the weight of loss and the inspiring momentum to “Live Like Braun”—a call to lead with kindness, courage, and service. The foundation and its spirit provide a beacon for others facing loss and those seeking meaningful ways to honor loved ones.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Welcome to this episode of Kennedy Saves the World. As you know, as you've heard, I've talked a lot about the Pacific Palisades fires, which absolutely devastated our community, that the town has essentially burned to the ground. And it is a place that has been so special and such a tight knit community, which has almost been an anomaly in a place like Southern California. But all started for me with the preschool that my girls attended back in the early 2000s. And I met a group of moms who were absolutely phenomenal. They were close knit, funny, always down to help one another, and just an amazing group of people. A few of them, we went on to compete in triathlons together. One of them in particular, a woman named Jen Levy, was one of the best triathletes I've ever competed with. And she has always been so into fitness, so vivacious and so positive that I naturally gravitated toward her for the things that we had in common. Fitness, parenting, a love of country and community. And the fires took her family's home in January. I called her husband and was like, you know, my house survived. If we can clean it up, you guys are more than welcome to move in there. Like most people in the Palisades who lost everything, they probably thought that that was the worst thing that would happen to them. Unfortunately, in May, Jen's only son, Braun was hit and killed by a drunk driver where they had relocated to Manhattan Beach. And you know, it. It gave everyone immediate perspective on life and family and the fear that all parents live with. And so many people obviously rushed to the Levy side to support them, to remember Braun. And this is a kid who was so loving and giving and vivacious that the injustice of his passing has reverberated not just throughout the Palisades in Southern California, but throughout the country. Because not only was he a great student and a super sweet guy that everyone called their best friend, he was also a nationally ranked junior tennis player on his way to UVA to play tennis there when his life was ripped away from this earth. And he has been highlighted and memorialized on the Tennis channel, on local news, on national news, because his life meant so much to so many people at a young age, that his family is now pushing forward to keep that positivity and his love of life alive. And the Live Like Braun Foundation. His mom joins me now. Hello, Jen.

[A]

Hi, Kennedy. Thank you so much for having me on.

[B]

Yes, I, you know, I. I have been thinking about your family. This story resonates with me so much. And when I think about the wildfires, because, like you, I have friends who call and, you know, they're devastated by this, but this was a perspective that you could never see coming. And every parent I've talked to has said, I don't know how I would go on living if this happened to me. How are you doing it?

[A]

Well, it's minute by minute, hour by hour. Some days are devastating, and I feel like I can't live another day. Other days I feel empowered that we are going to make the choice, our family, not to be a victim, but to move forward and spread positivity and celebrate Braun's legacy and rebuild our lives, rebuild our home. We quickly, actually, after the fires, we always said after the fires, well, we're all healthy and we're all together, so we're going to be okay.

[B]

You did. You all had phenomenal perspective after the fires. Like, more so than other people I had spoken to. I had no idea that that humor and resolve and steel in your spines was really a foundation to help you cope with what was to come.

[A]

Well, even after the fires, there were three or four days where we were all devastated. And then we quickly said, we're all healthy, we're together, let's go. This is an adventure. Let's just, you know, make the best of our life the next few years as we figure this out. And Braun actually started at his high school a support group for fire victims. Yeah, we moved to the South Bay and he quickly got all the South Bay kids he knew from the local schools together with his Loyola friends who lived in the South Bay. And they started having these big beach volleyball games. And it's now called Braun's Court, where they congregated every week. So even Braun jumped into action. And I saw through his eyes of an 18 year old boy. He was happy, he was making the best of it, and we were all making the best of it. And then the worst thing that could ever happen in your life actually did happen to us.

[B]

Yeah. So when you, when this happened, you. You told me that you first went to a grief counselor.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Like, how do you, how do you begin to pick up the pieces and talk about something like that?

[A]

Well, I remember the first two days after Braun was killed, I was in shock. And I just kept saying, what do I do? What do I do? Meaning, like, how am I gonna continue living my life without our son?

[B]

I.

[A]

Like, what do I do? You don't know what to do with this overwhelming wave of grief and devastation and sadness. So, of course, I went to see a counselor, a therapist like everyone suggested. And that was somewhat helpful. But I soon realized that I was just going down a toilet bowl of despair. I was just crying and nothing was getting solved. And I'm a problem solver. I'm a doer. So then somebody suggested a grieve coach to me, and that changed my life.

[B]

What is the difference?

[A]

The grieve coach gives me or continues to give me tools of action. A plan also helps me understand what's happening in my brain, physically, what's happening in my body. Why. Why not to be shocked when this happens, to know when something is coming and. And to set yourself up for success and to know what your limits and boundaries are. And she's given me a voice of how to express what I need, what I'm feeling, what my boundaries are, what I need to do. And she just, really, because it was a plan of action, gave me the power to make the choice that I am not going to fall victim to this. I am going to turn my pain into purpose and try to do something positive.

[B]

Yeah. And you have. I mean, the amount of awareness that you have raised, not only about Bronn's life, but I think about it all the time. I think about, like, what does it mean to live like Bronn? Like, you know, what would Bronn do in this moment? Because everyone who spoke at his memorial spoke so glowingly about his spirit and his push and his need to do and his need to make people happy. And. And you also brought up something that I found to be very profound, which is everyone is celebrating Bron's life because he is like, his spirit lives on through his phenomenal works. He didn't have a lot of years, but he had a tremendous impact. So he is being celebrated. But to other parents who have lost their kids to suicide, which feels like an epidemic, or to fentanyl overdoses for kids who try cocaine for. For the first time at a college party or take a pill because they think that they can trust the person who gave it to them. And they pay with their lives. Their lives are not celebrated. Like, what do you tell their parents?

[A]

Well, listen, every death and every experience of grief is different. And so I know a lot of parents who've lost their children that way because we are now a community, unfortunately, we're all in the same club, and we all grieve deeply. We loved our children, and we don't want their names or their legacy ever to be forgotten. But it's also the same if a child dies slowly from cancer or congenital heart disease. You know, it's an expected death. And it's a different. It's a different reaction. I think we just do our best to support each other, knowing that we all have the same pain. It doesn't matter how your child dies. It's the same pain. No parent should ever have to bury their child. It is. It's the unthinkable.

[B]

Yeah. No, it really is. And, you know, but you are choosing to stay in the Palisades. You are choosing to stay and rebuild. I've talked to a lot of people who are leaving. You know, a friend of mine, he and his family moved to Bend, Oregon. Other people have relocated, possibly permanently, and the South Bay and try and find other communities which are similar to the Palisades. But you are. You and a lot of your friends are choosing to rebuild and reclaim and stay. How is that a metaphor for Bronze Spirit?

[A]

Well, we never give up, and we go back to the place we loved. We've been in the Same House for 23 years. Both of our children were raised there. It's bittersweet going back.

[B]

Did you ever have a question as to maybe it was too difficult and maybe you didn't want to.

[A]

I'll tell you what's too difficult is let me just start out by saying the South Bay community has been incredibly supportive, and the outpouring of love after Braun was killed and after we moved there, the fires has been incredible. But that is where our son was killed, and we can't stay there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And so we're gonna go back home. We're gonna go back home where we raised our family, and we're gonna build a new life there, just as the whole Palisades is rebuilding.

[B]

Good. So you're talking to people who want to do the same. That's what I want to see. I want to see that momentum, and I hope that Bron's story is a push in that direction for other people who think that for whatever reason, for whatever, you know, they might be grieving lost letters from family members and, you know, heirlooms and things from Christmas, Christmas decorations and childhood mementos and things like that. But seeing what you are going through and the push that you are making for positive changes, not only in the laws, but in young people's lives, particularly loyalist students, that. That will encourage other people to stay and to rebuild and. And to reconnect with that community that we have loved so much, is it possible?

[A]

I think it is possible. I mean, I grieved the loss of, you know, all our baby videos and photographs, everything we had of Bronn Bronze and Tiger Room burned down. But after we lost our son, we realized those are all just things. No one can ever take away. Bronn and his memory and losing a house is awful because you lose all those momentums, but at the end of the day, it's just a thing. It's a material possession. And if you have your family and you're all alive and you're safe and you're healthy, you can do anything. Don't go anywhere.

[B]

More Kennedy Saves the World right after this.

[A]

Hey, I'm Trey Gowdy, host of the Trey Gowdy Podcast. I hope you will join me every.

[B]

Tuesday and Thursday as we navigate life.

[A]

Together and hopefully find ourselves a little bit better on the other side. Listen and follow now atfox news podcast.com.

[B]

So let's talk a little bit about tennis because that, that was a thing. And I was on a WhatsApp parent group with a lot of your friends and a lot of people from the tennis community. What does it say about tennis? Like, you have been embraced at the US Open and you and your husband Dan, who is awesome.

[A]

He's pretty awesome.

[B]

He's a celebrated cardiologist at a place that I happen to love. Even though the current climate at UCLA is not ideal. What does it say about the tennis community that they have been so moved and that they are taking you and your family and taking this moment to make something sacred and forward looking?

[A]

We have been absolutely blown away by the support of the USTA and the tennis community. Tennis is an individual sport. And Braun grew up from the time he was six to the time he died playing tennis. And I say we crisscrossed America. You know, the two of us went to every subway sandwich in between matches. It's a very individual sport. I didn't think that. I didn't even think that they necessarily knew who he was. There's hundreds of tennis players. But feeling this and seeing this has given me so much strength, encouragement. It's given me motivation that we have to make a difference. We have to start a movement. We need to help other kids financially, academically. We can't just be a victim to our child's death. And the tennis community has given us so much love and support and strength and encouragement. I will forever be indebted to them.

[B]

Yes. And I hope you come back to the U.S. open every year so I get to see you.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely.

[B]

Yeah. And Pam Shriver. You have a personal connection to Pam.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And she's been amazing. Like, you know, she's, as a broadcaster has done some really beautiful things as well.

[A]

Pam's son, George and Bron, when they were little, grew up playing tennis together, and they had some pretty competitive doubles matches as 10 year olds.

[B]

Oh, nice.

[A]

Yeah. And Pam and I would sit on the sidelines, and Pam would be commentating to me.

[B]

So. So tell me about the foundation, though, because this is something that truly will help other kids, not only at Loyola, but potentially beyond. How do you set up a foundation? How do you take the message and example of your son's life and encourage others to live the same kind of life of action and service and love?

[A]

Well, I have an incredible group of girlfriends and support who immediately jumped into action within the first 48 hours after Braun died. We were just getting inundated with flowers. And I said, no, no, we don't. We don't need flowers. Nobody needs flowers. But we do need to make, you know, some sort of difference in the world. And immediately I thought, we just need to start live like Braun. And my friends, who are all powerhouses, executives, retired, jumped into action, and it caught fire. The live like Braun movement just caught fire. And I'm not really sure how. The only explanation I have is that Braun was so magnetic. Yes, he was so magnetic, and he was friends with everybody, and he was constantly, you know, looking for the person that he could make a difference with, you know, somebody who was in the corner or not as comfortable. And he touched so many lives, and he was always smiling and he was fearless. And I think everybody who knew him knew that when he died, that was gone. That magnetic force was gone. And we can't let that be gone. We have to. It motivated other people. Hey, I'm going to live like Bron. I have one life, and I am going to live like bronze. Yes. I am going to lead with kindness, with courage, take chances, smile, love. You know, always see the positive. And that's what I'm trying to make sure. That movement just keeps multiplying.

[B]

Yes. And. And when I saw you the other day for the first time since his passing, and I saw your. Your big, beautiful smile, it filled my heart because I was like, there is hope, there is love, you know, there is God, even though it feels like an incredible injustice. But if we lean towards something positive and keep that beautiful, immutable memory alive, there's so much that can be accomplished as we move forward day by day.

[A]

I mean, every day. I cry every day, of course. And I say, I think, why? Why him? Of all kids, why him? He had such a bright future. He was a Good kid. And Dan and I worked really hard to raise happy, productive children who wanted to give back to society, and that was our son. So I'm actually really excited and proud of the work of our foundation. It's been just three or four short months to start awarding scholarships to kids who need it so that they can go on and do great things, so they can live like Braun and have the education that they dream of.

[B]

Will they be college scholarships? Will they be scholarships to Loyola?

[A]

Well, there's two different things. There's the Braun Levy Scholarship, which is endowed at Loyola High School, and that will live on for perpetuity, and that will go to kids at Loyola High School during high school to help pay their tuition.

[B]

Wonderful.

[A]

Then the foundation is something separate. And what we would like to do is have the academic scholarships be for kids who want to go on post high school, be it vocational school, college, you know, whatever their academic dream is. Because not every kid is meant to go to a four year college. Med school, law school.

[B]

Absolutely right. I'm so glad you said that. Yes. And the world needs these trades. They need, like, strong, smart, cool people to fill these vocations.

[A]

Yes. And if we come across one of those kids who's super passionate about being a makeup artist or a pilot or, you know, doing, you know, working. Working on cars, but needs the money to educate themselves in that, that is just as purposeful as giving someone a scholarship to a four year college. As long as that person has passion.

[B]

Yeah. Did Braun. How did he feel about pickleball?

[A]

Pickleball?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That's a dirty word. Is it the P word?

[B]

I wasn't sure if there was like a. A tennis pickleball rift.

[A]

You know what? He would play pickleball with his dad if he had to, you know, and he would do a kind of. By the way, Bron was a good sport about everything. So if you would have asked him, hey, Bron, will you go play pickleball with me? He would have said yes, sure. He absolutely. He never said no. And that's also something I'm trying to do right now in his memory, is say yes. So I've been joking around with my friends that I'm saying yes now to everything. Every invitation, you know, every new experience.

[B]

Good.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah. And it may be painful at times, and it may feel like you're stuck in cement, but the fact that you are pushing through and helping people also come to terms with their grief in new ways. Because I think it's really important to talk about, you know, it's really tough. But I think it's really, really important to talk about grief because, you know, it. It takes a hold of you in ways that. That you can't imagine. And, you know, unless people have been through what you're going through, they can't. And they can't say the right thing to make your pain go away.

[A]

Well, it's really funny. Some people are afraid to talk to me.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Right. And they're afraid to bring it up, and they don't bring it up. So sometimes I'll bring it up just to get it out of the way. And then some people have a lot of good intentions. They're not cruel, but it comes out maybe wrong.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So it is a very interesting world to navigate. But that's also one of the things my grief coach has helped me with. How do I prepare, how do I deal with, how do I process other people? And a lot of people also want to put. A lot of people are grieving the loss of Ron, and they want to put that on me sometimes or share that with me. And it's hard. It's very, very hard.

[B]

Yeah. Because, you know, you're a mom, you are one woman, but you are also a force of nature. And along with your family, incredible things will come of this. The hole will always be there. And that's why, you know, you have to talk about Bron, and I'm so glad you are, because you have to. In order to have an eternal memory, you have to speak about the beauty of his life.

[A]

Well, he'll always be a part of our family.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Unfortunately, he's not with us anymore. And, you know, we have to keep living. We have a 20 year old daughter who has a beautiful, big life ahead of her, you know, so. And I'm married to my husband. There's. We still have to live a full, loving life, and I know that's what Bron would have wanted.

[B]

And your husband is so shy.

[A]

In fact, if he was here, I wouldn't even. I wouldn't have even been able to grab the microphone if he was here.

[B]

Well, when you guys come back, I would love to sit down with you and Dan because I love and cherish you both and I appreciate your humor and, and your awesomeness.

[A]

So thank you. I appreciate you so much. Kennedy. Yes. Thank you for letting me tell our story and Braun's story.

[B]

Thank you for coming here. I know it's incredibly difficult, but this hat makes me feel very beautiful. See? Live like Braun. Where can people get Live like braun merch.

[A]

Livelikebronfoundation.org okay.

[B]

Livelikebronn B R A U N Foundation. Thank you.

[A]

Live like Braun.

[B]

Live like Braun.

[A]

Live like Braun.

[B]

Foundation foundation.org I said it and I'll say it again. All right.

[A]

Thank you so much.

[B]

I do love you.

[A]

I love you, too.

[B]

This has been Kennedy Saves the World along with Jen Levy and an eternal memory of Braun. I'm Kennedy. Listen ad free With a Fox News podcast plus subscription on Apple podcasts and Amazon prime, members can listen to this show ad free on the Amazon music app. Oh, go ahead and leave me a review while you're there. I'd love to hear what you have to say. You've been listening to Kennedy Saves the World on the Fox News Podcast network.

[A]

This is Jason Chaffetz from the Jason in the House podcast. Join me every Monday to dive deeper into the latest political headlines and chat with remarkable, remarkable guests. Listen and follow now at foxnewspodcast. Com or wherever you download podcasts.