Bruce was born in Salt Lake City on February 2, 1998 to Kristin (Nelson) Sargent and Shaun Stevens. In 2002, he moved with his family from Sandy, Utah to Rochester, Minnesota. In 2016, he moved to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota (graduated 2020).
Bruce will be sadly missed by his family, mother, Kris Sargent of Rochester; sister, Courtney; maternal grandparents, Jerry and Zeta Nelson, of Sandy, UT; and aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Bruce needed space from his father’s side of the family for his own wellbeing. He is preceded in death by his older brother, Jason (2011).
As a child, Bruce adored giving out free hugs - to a friend at church or a stranger in public. At five years old he wanted to be a gentleman: giving “gentleman kisses” on bended knee, parting his hair just so, and holding open doors. Early on he developed a passion for music and film. He learned to play his favorite songs by ear and explored various instruments. He particularly enjoyed playing in an African drumming ensemble at his alma mater. Throughout his life Bruce made multiple stop motion videos for personal artistic expression, honoring the memory of Jason, or helping his friends with projects. He was fanatical about his favorite movies, sometimes watching one on repeat for hours. For birthdays and holidays the only gifts he requested were DVDs and CDs to add to his extensive collection.
During his adolescent years, Bruce had many interests. He participated in wrestling, football, and track. Three knee surgeries forced him to change his focus to more academic pursuits including speech team, acting in Little Shop of Horrors with Century High School’s Panther Playhouse, and poetry. He was recently published in the Post Bulletin on September 19, 2023 with a poem titled A Minnesota Kid, celebrating the Free School Meals for Kids Program.
Loved ones remember Bruce as inquisitive, sincere, gentle, and empathetic. He was often described as a great conversationalist who had an old soul. He was passionate about many subjects: “Bruce knew everything about everything. When he learned something, he learned it inside and out… He knew so much, perhaps too much.” He was constantly tinkering with and building things around his work environment to improve efficiency and convenience for everyone. When Bruce saw a need, he worked to fill it without fanfare. In his senior year of college he opened his living space to help a friend on his journey to sobriety and mental health stability. His friend would like to share that Bruce sat with him for hours, day after day, and, “without his love and friendship, I don’t know if I would be here today.”
Bruce struggled for years with his own mental health, especially following his brother’s suicide. After Jason died, Bruce adopted his brother’s study habits and dedication to hard work. Losing a sibling at such a young age caused him to consider what is meaningful in life, and he wrestled many times to find worth. He lost his battle against the darkness that finally consumed him. Even in death, Bruce cared for his family members, leaving behind instructions and resources. All that had the privilege of getting to know him are left with a Bruce-sized hole in their hearts. We will always remember you with your briefcase, suspenders, cowboy boots, and mutton chops.
A memorial service will be held at Wulff Funeral Home,1485 White Bear Ave, St Paul, on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at 11:00 am with visitation beginning at 10:00 am.
Bruce donated his body to science, and his final resting place will be with the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the 988 Lifeline for suicide prevention, https://988lifeline.org, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, https://afsp.org/, or similar local organizations.
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