In November 2000, seven-year-old Breea Renee’s life changed forever. She and her mother, Michelle Renee, were victims of a terrifying home invasion in San Diego County, California. What began as a normal evening ended in a nightmare when three masked men broke into their home, held them hostage overnight, and strapped what appeared to be dynamite to Breea’s small body.
Michelle, a bank manager at Bank of America, was ordered to rob her own bank or her daughter’s life would be at risk. With no choice, she followed their demands and handed over $360,000. Once the robbery was complete, Michelle returned home and alerted the police. Fortunately, the explosives on Breea were fake. The story shocked the nation and was later featured on CBS’ “48 Hours” in the episode titled “The Kidnapping of Michelle and Breea Renee,” reported by Tracy Smith.
But Breea’s ordeal didn’t end there. Life threw more challenges her way.
A NEW BATTLE: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Years after the kidnapping, Breea faced a new, unexpected struggle. On December 8, 2011, she began to feel unwell. What started as clumsiness turned into something far more serious by the end of the day—she was partially paralyzed on the left side of her body, lost vision in her left eye, and had trouble speaking and swallowing.
Doctors diagnosed her with a severe onset of multiple sclerosis (MS). When initial treatments didn’t help, she was placed on plasma exchange therapy. It was an overwhelming experience, but Breea chose not to be defined by her diagnosis.
She once said, “The kidnapping was like eating a cupcake compared to this.” Still, her spirit remained strong. Her mother, who had already shown great bravery years before, became her full-time caregiver and emotional support during this difficult phase.
FINDING HER WAY BACK
At the time of her MS diagnosis, Breea was a senior at La Costa Canyon High School. Due to her condition, her education took a pause. But she wasn’t done. A few years later, she pursued and completed her Psychology degree at San Diego State University in 2017.
She later joined TD Ameritrade, where she worked for three years. Breea then decided to join forces with her mother, working at VERB Media Group, a creative content production company Michelle had founded back in 2009. The company had been temporarily shut down in 2012 due to Breea’s health issues but was later relaunched with Breea as Executive Assistant. Together, the mother-daughter duo built a business focused on photography, video, and podcast production.
Today, Breea is not only a valuable team member at VERB but also serves as a World MS Day Ambassador and continues to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis.
LOVE, HEALING, AND A NEW CHAPTER
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Amidst her career and advocacy work, Breea found love. Around 2020, she began a relationship with Steven Gremillion, a man who would become her partner in every sense. In February 2023, Steven proposed, and Breea said yes.
To celebrate, she traveled to Austin, Texas, for a fun-filled bachelorette party in October. The couple tied the knot on February 24, 2024, in a heartfelt ceremony surrounded by friends and family. Now known as Breea Gremillion, she lives in San Diego, California with her husband.
The newlyweds share a deep passion for traveling. From Puerto Rico to the Bahamas, and recently to Las Vegas in January 2025, they’ve been making memories around the world.
On their one-year anniversary, Steven honored her with a sweet social media message: “You’re by far the toughest person I know and the most caring as well… As our journey continues and our love grows deeper, I vow to love you more every day.”
A LIFE MARKED BY COURAGE
From surviving a traumatic kidnapping as a child to becoming a role model for those battling chronic illness, Breea Renee has shown extraordinary resilience. With unwavering support from her mother and the love of her husband, she continues to live a life of purpose, strength, and compassion.
She remains dedicated to advocacy, creativity, and building a future on her own terms—proof that even the darkest moments can lead to hope and light.
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