Ellen Boyd and Caroline Bryan turned heartbreak into hope, founding the Brett Boyer Foundation to raise awareness for Congenital Heart Defects and Down syndrome.
Story by Cara Clark, Photos by Brit Huckabay
In a beautifully crafted barn in the heart of Tennessee — surrounded by rescued animals and everlasting love for a little girl named Brett — Ellen Boyer, Caroline Bryan, and their families have found purpose and peace after profound loss. What began as a personal tragedy has blossomed into a far-reaching mission, transforming how families navigate congenital heart disease (CHD), Down syndrome diagnoses, and grief.
Their bond is more than family. After Ellen married Caroline’s brother, Bo Boyer, the friendship between the two, often mistaken for sisters, became immediate and unshakable. That closeness deepened when Ellen and Bo’s daughter, Sadie Brett, was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome and later with congenital heart disease. Though Brett lived only seven months, the influence of that short time now stretches far beyond their family — each memory a blend of joy and heartbreak.
