The blaze that flipped the script
Earlier this month, an apartment fire at a Clayton County complex upended the lives of dozens of residents. One of them, Breyonna Reese, escaped with nothing but the clothes on her back and a purse — and suddenly had to ask herself, now what?
One day at a time (and a mountain of phone calls)
In the weeks after the fire, Breyonna’s days became a blend of paperwork and healing: phone calls to insurance and utility companies, collecting receipts, and trying to make sense of everything while also dealing with the raw emotions that follow a loss like this. Some days are productive; some days end in a good cry in the car. That’s okay — she’s taking it slowly.
Using professional tools on personal problems
As a mental health professional, Breyonna finds herself doing the thing she usually does for others: naming the feelings, seeking support, and using therapy to process trauma. Still, it’s been weird switching from caregiver to care-receiver. She’s had to step away from work at times to cope, which is a humbling reminder that even healers need healing.
Twin energy and neighborly love
Her twin sister, Bionca, has been a rock — helping with clothes and makeup, and offering moral backup. The apartment complex let Breyonna move into another unit, but she’s starting from scratch: sleeping on a couch, missing many personal items and keepsakes, and grieving some irreplaceable things like diplomas and a beloved wig collection. The surprise silver lining has been how many people showed up to help — coworkers, neighbors, and complete strangers lending support when it was most needed.
Turning a wrecked backdrop into a personal power pose
To reclaim the story, Breyonna staged a photoshoot in front of the charred building she once called home. It’s part memorial, part motivation — a visual statement that trauma can be acknowledged without letting it become the whole narrative. With Bionca doing makeup and lending outfits, the shoot doubled as sibling therapy and a confidence boost.
Rolling forward with a little sass and a lot of resilience
Breyonna hopes her experience shows people it’s okay to sit with pain and still move forward. She’s rebuilding bit by bit: paperwork completed, support accepted, emotions felt. Not every day is sunshine, but she’s proving that with help, humor, and stubbornness, life does keep marching on.
