07/15/2026
For those of you that knew and loved Jeff Pearce:
July 14th would have been Jeff’s 57th birthday.
I’ve been thinking about him a lot today. This is the last photo we took together at my 40th birthday.
Jeff was one of my closest friends, my 🦀Cancer 🦀brother, and the founder of Studio Fitness. What many people don’t know is that when Jeff died, I learned he had left Studio Fitness to me in his will. That phone call remains one of the most surreal and painful moments of my life. I didn’t see it coming, and I certainly never imagined the path my life would take because of it (especially after a year of probate and a series of other challenges).
Nearly every day, I walk through the doors of a business he built and continue work that mattered deeply to him. In many ways, I’m still carrying forward a legacy that Jeff set in motion when he opened Studio Fitness in 1997. At the same time, I’ve had the opportunity, and the gift, to shape Studio Fitness into something that also reflects my own vision. The culture, community, and mission that define Studio Fitness today are a blend of the foundation Jeff created and the values I’ve spent years building upon. I’m proud of what Studio Fitness has become, and grateful that I’ve been entrusted with carrying it forward.
Jeff died by su***de at the age of 48. That loss changed the direction of my life profoundly and forced me to navigate questions and emotions I never expected to face. It also left a space that never quite goes away.
Today, I find myself reflecting less on how he left and more on how much he gave…to me, to this business, and to so many people whose lives were touched by his vision (trainers and clients alike).
Happy birthday, Jeff. I still feel your presence, and your influence is woven into the fabric of my life every day. I love you.