We wake up, get work, go back home and rinse and repeat – or at least it feels that way sometimes. In truth, there are a million moments in between where we interact with others and we can’t help but wonder what folks will think about us once we aren’t showing up, perhaps once we are gone. Some very thoughtful members of the community share their thoughts on this with us below.
Hollie Davis
You know I have been thinking about that a lot. My goal is not followers but legacy for sure. I read some excerpts from the book “Southside Venus” which tells the story of Maragret Burroughs. There’s a part of the book where she’s walking around her neighborhood and kids come up to her telling her they read about her in school. That is my goal. Read more>>
Shannon Carr
I hope the story people tell about me is that I loved them deeply, whether I knew them for a minute or a lifetime. I want people to remember feeling seen and heard, to know that their story mattered to me. Read more>>
Christian Nicole
The story I want them to tell is the one where they say, “Christian Nicole changed my life.” Not because I gave them answers, but because I helped them remember their own. Because I held space for their unraveling without judgment, and built frameworks that made their becoming feel sacred, strategic, and sustainable. Read more>>
SHAHROKH ZADEH
I hope people say that I helped open their minds—that I made them curious again about the world around them. Not just in a scientific way, but in a deeply human way. I’d like to be remembered as someone who built a bridge between reason and wonder, between what we can measure and what we can feel. Read more>>
charles sam
resilience, nothing is supposed to be easy in this world and that is what most people do not see Read more>>
Amanda Gonzalez
I hope people remember me as someone who had the courage to break generational cycles and speak truth, even when it was painful. Read more>>
Rosanna Wyatt
I hope people will say that I was genuine and that I helped them to be their most genuine self. My highest goal with my music is to create something that helps people access and feel the deeper parts of themselves. Read more>>
Jamie Tobin
A tie between the story of how a post-it note lead me to meeting my husband or that Jamie really did go out of her way to cheer for others because clapping for others doesn’t stop me from being successful. Read more>>
Brandon Matthews
This is such a great question, and one that I actually live my life by. Ultimately, above all, I want to be known for the love that I have for Jesus, my family, and for others. I want it to be said that I left people and places better than I found them. Read more>>
Lorenzo Beronilla
The story I hope people will tell about me when I’m gone is that I was more than just a chef and actor—I stood for whole body wellness and was a passionate advocate for organ donation. Read more>>
Todd Roberts
That I brought some form of brightness into their life, whether it was something I did or just being there. Read more>>
Ana Archuleta
I hope people can look past the glamour and really see me for the person I truly am. Not to say I am not authentic, I just think it’s easy to judge based off of social media, especially considering that I am a boudoir model. I hope people say that I was kind, giving, loyal, ambitious and never gave up. Read more>>
Wence Wong
The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is that I made a difference, that in some way, I touched or changed someone’s life for the better. Whether through my work, my words, or simply how I chose to live, I hope people remember that I inspired them to see what’s possible, even when the odds were against them. Read more>>
Lori Dresner
When I’m gone, I hope people remember that I lived a creative life—one shaped by curiosity, compassion, and clay. I worked with my hands and my heart in equal measure, whether sculpting, producing, or supporting the arts and people in need. My sculptures and pottery were never about perfection; they were about connection. Read more>>
Marisa Mu
That Marisa Mu led from the front and never wavered on her mission for fostering representation, community and opportunity for historically marginalised peoples. And how her art made people feel seen and loved. Read more>>
Aaron Pridmore
When I’m gone, I hope people say that I cared, truly cared. I know not everyone will have agreed with everything I did, but I’ve never had a problem standing up for what I believe in. My intentions have always come from a place of wanting to help others, especially kids who needed encouragement or someone in their corner. Read more>>
Amelia Pollard
I was just thinking about this recently. The idea that even after I’m gone, so much of what I’ve created will still be here; hanging on walls, tucked inside photo books, passed through generations. It’s kind of wild when you think about it. As a photographer, I’m capturing moments that will outlive me. The weddings I film, the families I photograph. Read more>>
Janie Terrazas
I hope people say that I helped them understand the true meaning of unconditional love and non-judgment—that my presence reminded them of their own inner light and the power they carry to rise above any challenge. That I made them feel seen, heard, and deeply understood. That I brought laughter, joy, and a tender, loving energy that reawakened the creative spirit of their inner child. Read more>>
Anastasiya Tkachenko
She made me feel better. Read more>>
Kemuel Roig
I hope people will remember me as someone who lived with purpose, passion, and faith, someone who gave his heart fully to music and to others. I’d love for my story to be one of perseverance, humility, and love for God and people. Read more>>
Adina Porter
She was a person who was sweet, loving, kind, and a woman of character. She lived her life to the fullest with no regrets. She treated everyone with love and respect to the best of her ability. She had a smile that would light up the room. Her energy was always positive, and she used her life to encourage and uplift people. Read more>>
Mike Gradian
That they watched me pursue my passion for music, and everything creative with in it. Hopefully, it gives someone I know watching, the inspiration to take a step towards their dream. Read more>>
Nabeel Bin Riaz
I don’t want to be remembered as someone who changed the world, I just want to be remembered as someone who changed the mood of a room. Read more>>
Beth Picard
I hope people will say that I loved my life, enjoyed being around people and making them laugh and of course, being creative. Whether it is painting, decorating my house for Christmas (which is terribly overdone- but so much fun), decorating my house in my own quirky way, and finding new things to make all the time. Read more>>
S.R. Crickard
That I was an encourager. From the books I write, to the way I treat others, I hope it’ll be said that I encouraged people to live a life they’ll be happy to present to God. There’s a view of memento mori that it’s all doom and gloom, when in fact I find it a very encouraging way to live. Read more>>
Shantae Menendez
I hope people say that I was someone who created opportunities not just for myself, but for others. That I believed in people even when they didn’t believe in themselves. I hope they remember me as someone who built things from nothing, who brought people together, and who always made them feel seen, inspired, and valued. Read more>>
Miha Sarani
I would hope people might remember me as someone who was determined. A creator that persevered once committed to an idea. For example, my August exhibit ‘The ICON: a Man called Duff’ was a project that has been 10 years in the making. I very much wanted to collaborate on a project with one of my childhood idols – the legendary rocker Duff McKagan. Read more>>
Adam Rothenberg
I hope that when I’m gone, people will say how nice, caring, loving, compassionate & funny I was. I hope they will say, ‘Adam entertained me with his humor & interviews.’ I hope if they ever feel like giving up, they will remember my drive & determination to always go after my dreams, no matter how old I was. Read more>>
Shari Karney
I hope people say I turned my pain into purpose — that I transformed my own trauma into a force for justice that gave others their voice, their rights, and their hope back. That I helped spark the survivors’ civil rights movement we see and hear about today. When I began this work, there was no national conversation about survivors’ rights. Read more>>
Dustin Blackson
I hope people say I was a bridge—between past and present, between coal camps and silver screens, between family memory and public history. That I listened deeply, especially to elders, and helped turn their stories into something lasting and alive. I’d like to be remembered as someone who showed up—with curiosity, with care, and with heart. Read more>>
Nora Mae
I hope the story people tell about me isn’t just about the art, but about the character behind it. Of course, I’d love for my work to be timeless — for the music to feel cinematic and intentional, like a soundtrack for people’s inner worlds — but more than that, I want to be remembered for how I carried myself. Read more>>
Kaelyn Marie Fuglaar
I hope people say that I was far more than my work. I hope people say I loved my family more than anything. That I leaned heavily on my faith, I took risks, and I always did things because I wanted better for me and my family. I hope they say I made them laugh and feel loved. Read more>>
Rodolfo Santamarina
I really believe that art touches people, and it can change lives. Recently I’ve done a production of West Side Story, and from the stage we could here people crying by the end of the show, this musical has a strong message about community and the lack of communication and misunderstanding that left the audience thinking about that in our society. Read more>>
SVENJA IGLESIAS
I hope people will remember how much passion, dedication, and love were poured into the German-American School of Ft. Lauderdale. I know there are many children, teenagers, and adults who still remember their preschool years at our school. I hope their memories are filled with all the wonderful moments we shared, the many things they learned, and the friends they made along the way. Read more>>
Butterr Improv
When Butterr is gone, we hope people remember how much we loved our community and how much joy we found in bringing people together. We’ve always been a team built on family. Read more>>
Donna Casselman
I hope they will say I lived a very full life, one of adventure, hardship and great joy, loved and was loved by my children, my many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, friends and fans, and that I left many examples of my artistic creativity for all to enjoy. Read more>>
Lisa Kist
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When I’m gone, I hope people remember me as someone who loved deeply, gave endlessly, and never stopped believing in beauty — in people, in life, and in second chances. I want my story to show that no matter how hard life gets, you can rise, rebuild, and still lead with kindness. Read more>>
Jennifer Basden
I hope that when I’m gone I am most remembered for being a great Mom. I hope people remember that no matter what I went thru or the struggles I faced my children felt loved and safe. Read more>>
