Bruce on Bruce

I was driving in my car last week, listening to the E-Street station on Sirius when I started to tear up thinking about Bruce...of course, Thunder Road came on the station. One of my favorite lines of all time, "You ain't a beauty, but, hey, you're alright!". I flashed back to a conversation with Bruce about that lyric and many others in the song. We were laughing as we tried to decipher the point Bruce was trying to get across. So, I decided to take a shot in the dark and e-mail Bruce Springsteen. Corny, I know, and as Wendy Lauch said, she hadn't wrote a letter to a celebrity since she was a fan of David Cassady! I thought at the very least, maybe someone from Bruce Springsteen's staff would send along words of encouragement. Here's the letter - thought some of you might appreciate it!

Dear Bruce and the E-Street Band:
Let me tell you about my dear friend Bruce. Bruce Stansbury was a man who would always say that, you, Bruce, were the "soundtrack of his life". Bruce Stansbury was a father, a loving husband, a football coach, a runner, a fisherman and a special educator. He was also my dear colleague and friend. From the moment I met Bruce some seven years ago we shared a true love of music and at the center of the love was Bruce Springsteen. There were many a days when I would come into work having analyzed yet another incredible lyric; Bruce and I would share with each other what we thought you were trying to say to us, your fans. I have many fond memories of my friend and so many of them revolve around you and your music.
We lost "Our Bruce" suddenly this fall. He had a sudden heart attack at the age of 50 immediately after winning a football game. At Bruce's funeral only your music was heard. Imagine hearing Thunder Road in church during the moment of silent prayer! It was an amazing send off to a man who lived a full and caring life. We sang "If I Should Fall Behind" for his incredible wife, Mimi and played "Terry's Song" as we walked out of church and to the cemetery.
In memory of "Our Bruce" we are all running in the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia, PA on May 3rd. How poignant that your concert in the City of Brotherly Love will be within the same week! I, and three of my colleagues will be there on the 29th of April cheering you on - praying you'll play our favorite songs. We will bring "Our Bruce" with us in spirit as he most certainly would have been himself.
Many of us keep your songs on our iPods to help us get to our goal of ten miles. I can't tell you how many times I have gone to put the earphones in my ears, set out to run, and serendipitously one of your songs will be the first song of my run. Many of Bruce's colleagues will run down Broad Street on May 3rd. There will be many tears of joy and sadness shed upon crossing the finish line - because Bruce would be so proud, because we finished with him helping to carry us along the way, because we've done something great for our friend. In honor of him and all he represented, all of the money we raise for the event we will use to create a scholarship for a student with special needs who is heading to college. This will make Bruce proud.
Thank you for bringing such happiness to my friend's life and for helping many of us to heal through your music. Today when I put on Sirius Channel 10 I started to cry and thought maybe if I sent you a message you would by chance read it and know how much you have touched my friend and us in the process. If you are in Philly on the 3rd please feel free to stop by our tent at the finish line in the Naval Yard. We'd love to have you!
With fondness,
Heather Hopkins