Lisa Brisse

1969 - 2023

Lisa Brisse

May 21, 1969 - April 4, 2023

Loved ones will gather in Palisades Park at Idaho Street in Santa Monica on May 21st from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to celebrate the life of Lisa Brisse, who passed away on Tuesday, April 4th in Santa Monica after a three-and-a-half-year journey with cancer. Lisa 's family and friends will also celebrate her life at the Lions Community Park in Richmond, Minnesota on Friday, June 2nd from 3:00-8:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. service followed by sharing).

Lisa was a brilliant light to all who knew and loved her. She lived her life with extraordinary energy, intention, and a passionate desire to help others become their best selves. She fulfilled that mission through her professional work as an exercise physiologist, wellness coach, meditation teacher, Spinning instructor, author, and speaker, as well as through deep personal commitments to her own growth and healing, to treating others with kindness, generosity, and compassion, and to sharing her joy, playfulness, laughter, music, dancing, fun, and silliness with everyone she met.

Lisa was born on May 21, 1969 in Richmond, MN where, as a child, she loved playing outdoors with friends, cousins, and the many animals who were part of her family. Her most cherished animal companion was Little Miss, the beautiful, magical white horse whose unconditional love and spiritual lessons helped Lisa become the loving, wise, compassionate, and joyful person so deeply loved and missed by her family, friends, clients, students, readers, and many others in California, Minnesota, and elsewhere around the world.

A 1987 graduate of Rocori High School in Richmond, Lisa attended St. Cloud State University and, after moving to California in 1989, transferred with a full academic scholarship to Pepperdine University in the fall of 1990, graduating in 1993 with a B. S. in Sports Medicine.

Lisa began her career as an exercise physiologist at the world-renowned Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa Monica and later founded her own business, State of the Heart Fitness, where she and her team offered a holistic, heart-centered approach to health and wellness. Lisa's lifelong passion for travel took her to Europe, Australia, Bali, Thailand, the Philippines, Mexico, Central America, and South America, where she led treks to the sacred site of Machu Picchu, a place that held profound spiritual significance for her.

Lisa was a lifelong horsewoman who loved the beauty and peace of the Santa Ynez Valley. She and her beloved soulmate Little Miss enjoyed 30 years of riding throughout the valley. It was her heart's home and a special healing and grounding place for her during the health challenges of the past three years.

Also a dedicated writer, Lisa published two books, Michael Jackson: The Man in Our Mirror - A Reflection of Our Collective Soul (2014), the remarkable story of her lifelong spiritual connection with the pop superstar, and The Ride of Our Life - Lessons in Faith, Love, and Wisdom from a Magical Horse, Book One: The Early Years (2021), which explores the many awakenings and life lessons that came to Lisa through her deep spiritual relationship with her horse Little Miss.

Lisa also wrote and spoke extensively about her journey with cancer, using her Facebook posts and video updates to chronicle her experiences. She saw her health challenges as opportunities to deepen her self-exploration, healing, growth, and spiritual awakening. Her eloquence, vulnerability, wisdom, courage, and spiritual insight touched and healed all who followed her journey.

In addition to the ongoing support she received from her family and her extensive network of friends near and far, Lisa was sustained through every phase of her journey by her dear friends and caregivers, Stacey Whittle, Gigi Sutila, and Jenifer Gaffaney Swartzentruber, who blessed Lisa with their unwavering devotion, energy, faith, and love as they cared for her body, mind, and spirit on a daily basis.

Lisa is survived by her parents, Allen Brisse and Judi Brisse, her brother Eric and nephew Mathew, her stepmother Monique Waters, and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation. https://mnhoovedanimalrescue.org/memorials/