Going the Distance

Imagine yourself a 20-year-old girl from Zurich, Switzerland, sailing to the United States by way of the Queen Elizabeth I, to work as a governess for an unfamiliar family in New York. This incredible person has lived a life with inspiring stories of her travels, goals, and family that spans from New York, to California, Colorado, and as of 2005, Michigan.

This is the story of Bruna Kieffer, our friend and resident at The Pines senior living apartments in Chelsea, MI.

Bruna is one of those souls that you meet and instantly feel a connection. Her personality exudes warmth, kindness, strength and intrigue from the moment you meet her. You see this sparkle in her eyes, her determination and independence. She is excited about her daughter being with her during this interview and has plans to fly out the next day to Switzerland to spend time with her family.

Bruna has always enjoyed staying active, whether it was chasing her own children or her grandchildren. She enjoys staying fit and challenging herself. After the loss of her husband a year ago, she says that “Not only do I enjoy staying healthy and active, I use exercise as my therapy.” As a former member of the Wellness Center in Chelsea, MI., she decided her workout regimen was too slow for her to excel and so she pushed herself to something a bit more challenging.

Around 10 years ago, Bruna decided to take her fitness to the next level by joining her daughter-in-law in her first 5k Run/Walk, but it didn’t stop there. From that point forward, she dedicated her training sessions to accomplish her first Triathlon.

With her physical strength and mental determination, Bruna made it her mission to participate in a Triathlon every year. Her daughter-in-law may have introduced her to this new-found passion, but Bruna never gave up. As a matter-of-fact, this mother and grandmother even slowed down to encourage and push others to finish the event. To Bruna, it’s not about the overall time it took to finish the event, it’s the fact that she completed it and loved every minute of it.
Although her arthritis slows her down a little more than usual, her dedication to her health and fitness is still a priority to her. She has enjoyed events all the way from Sylvania, OH to Dexter, MI and on……

So, the next time you think you don’t have it in you to compete or finish something like this, remember, at 79, Bruna Kieffer is still going and is an inspiration to us all.