Erik Rees: Jessie's JoyJars and a Legacy of Never Ever Giving Up(ep. 876)
Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary
John O'Leary
4.8 • 695 Ratings
🗓️ 30 April 2026
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Erik Rees is the founder of NEGU, Never Ever Give Up, which is a global movement inspired by the life of his daughter Jessie. What began as a father walking through unimaginable grief has become a mission that has delivered nearly 600,000 JoyJars to children battling cancer around the world, each one carrying a simple but powerful message: you are not alone.
Today, Erik shares the extraordinary life of his daughter Jessie, why she chose to focus on bringing happiness to other kids in the middle of her own fight, and how her legacy continues to impact families across the globe.
My friends, if you are walking through grief, searching for purpose, or wondering how something painful could ever be used for good, this conversation is for you. You'll leave ready to live courageously, love constantly and lead compassionately.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You know that Keeley companies is all about fostering the world-class culture through their incredible cultural pillars. |
| 0:07.5 | Well, it was time to add a seventh cultural pillar, Kewley Green. |
| 0:12.5 | Guided by the mission to raise the sustainability standards by which they design, build, operate, and live. |
| 0:18.8 | Keeley Green is dedicated to using a holistic approach to leave a positive impact on our |
| 0:24.6 | environment, create a future that is sustainable for generations to come. |
| 0:29.4 | In the words of Rusty Keeley, we are just getting started. |
| 0:34.3 | You can learn more about that just getting started mentality and all the work they do |
| 0:38.7 | by visiting my friends at Keeley Companies online at keelie Companies.com. |
| 0:46.0 | Welcome to the Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary. John is the two-time national bestselling |
| 0:51.7 | author of On Fire and In Aw. |
| 0:54.9 | He's a world-class inspirational speaker, the host of the Live Inspired podcast. |
| 1:00.1 | And he's the real-life inspiration behind the major motion picture, Soul on Fire. |
| 1:05.4 | Each week, John interviews extraordinary individuals about their life stories so you can more fully live your life story. |
| 1:13.1 | Here's your host, John O'Leary. |
| 1:15.6 | Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the Live Inspired podcast with John O'Leary. |
| 1:21.7 | You know, as a speaker, occasionally I have the great joy of being in the room when another |
| 1:26.9 | performer shows up on stage and |
| 1:29.0 | shares their heart, shares their story, shares their testimony, and shares the ability that we |
| 1:33.9 | have through all of our lives to impact the world around us for good. I'm always moved by those |
| 1:39.1 | stories. And occasionally, I am so moved that I invite these individuals to join us on this podcast. |
| 1:47.6 | And today you're going to hear from one such awesome example. |
| 1:52.5 | His name is Eric Reese. |
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