Jace Foundation

I met Jace and his family not long after they moved to Billings, fresh out of his high-school years. And let me tell you—every time that young man showed up for a session, he’d come walking over with that giant, contagious smile. You could feel how close he was with his parents from a mile away.

Life threw some hard chapters their way. Kristi and I reconnected after losing Jace and weathering storms no family should have to face. We set up a family session, and I’ll be honest—there’s no easy creative trick that can fill the space Jace held. No edit, no pose, no lighting. His impact was too big, too real, too unforgettable.

Not long ago I was photographing a foundation event for a little three-year-old in a situation heartbreakingly similar to Jace’s. And wouldn’t you know it—it was at Bretz RV in Billings, the very place Jace used to work where we took the photos. Out of nowhere his name surfaces in conversation with one of his former coworkers. She shared how they’d recently lost a couple close colleagues. You could feel the weight of it. It hasn’t been easy out here.

After Kristi’s session, she invited me over to Jace’s place. And the moment I walked in, I was speechless. His home had these big walls lined with the images I’d taken of him with his parents over the years—memories stretching across the room like chapters of a story frozen in time.

Then Kristi asked me—straight up—to help carry Jace’s torch. To keep handing out pamphlets across the schools in town to reach the kids walking through the same dark valleys Jace once faced.

Jace was an outdoorsman to the core. Hunting, fishing, being out in God’s creation with his friends and loved ones—that’s where he came alive. And this foundation… it screams Jace. It’s his heartbeat, still moving, still making an impact.

If you know a terminally ill, outgoing student who needs a spark of hope—someone who deserves to make memories outdoors the way Jace did—apply. Don’t wait. Give them that moment, that adventure, that memory that echoes long after.

Let’s keep Jace’s light blazing forward. Let’s make sure his story keeps igniting hope for families who need it most.