09/09/2026
We don't usually get to meet the heart behind a mission in person - but this weekend, we got to meet Ellie. 💜
The Violet Bridge Foundation shared this yesterday for her 8th birthday, and we couldn't let the moment pass without adding our own note, even a day late (which we've decided just means her birthday gets to last a little longer 🎉).
Ellie is nonverbal, and we want to be clear about something: we had no trouble communicating with her at all. She knows exactly who she is. She knows exactly who she trusts. She knows who is good. And none of that requires a single spoken word - you feel it the moment you're near her. She is, quite simply, a guiding light. 🌞
And we have to share one more thing: our Chief Networking Officer, Chester, has officially declared Ellie a bestie. 🐱 Now, Chester is extremely selective about who he trusts - it's kind of his whole job title - so this is a very big deal in our house. Turns out he has excellent taste. (Ellie, this photo is just for you. 💜)
We are so honored to know this family, and genuinely excited to watch Ellie grow into the remarkable woman we can already tell she's going to be. And for the record - her parents, Jessie and Marshall, and her brothers, Holden and Ollie, are pretty wonderful, too. It runs in the family.
Happy birthday, Ellie. The world is better with you in it, exactly as you are. 💜🐾🐱
Today, the little girl behind Violet Bridge turns 8. 💜
When we look back on Ellie’s first eight years, it is hard to put into words everything she has been through. There were changing diagnoses, doctors’ appointments, hospital stays, multiple surgeries, insurance denials, Medicaid setbacks, long waitlists, and countless hours of speech, occupational, and physical therapy. There were so many moments when we did not know what the future would look like or how we would get her the care and support she needed.
Through all of it, Ellie never stopped moving forward.
Today, she has come further than we once knew was possible. She has overcome so much medically, found her voice through AAC, and continues to show us that communication is about so much more than spoken words. She does not just use her talker to express herself. She has even taken the time to show other children how to use it so they could talk with her, share their favorite colors and foods, and simply be kids together.
Ellie has never seen herself as different, and she has never allowed the obstacles in front of her to decide what she is capable of. She is determined, joyful, wonderfully herself, and stronger than she will probably ever fully understand.
Violet Bridge Foundation carries Ellie’s middle name because this entire journey began with her. Every program we build, every family we help, and every barrier we work to remove is rooted in what she taught us. Her story showed us how difficult it can be for families to find the right diagnosis, access care, navigate complicated systems, and keep fighting when the answers seem impossible to find.
She is the reason we began building a bridge for other families.
Happy birthday, Ellie. You have changed our family, inspired an entire foundation, and shown everyone around you that having a voice is not the same as speaking. We are endlessly proud of how far you have come, and we cannot wait to see where your journey takes you next.
We love you, Ellidia Violet. 💜
