Born on February 12, 2017, Ellie Pearl came into our world as the brightest light. Named after her great-grandmothers, Evelyn and Pearl, she embodied their strong maternal traits. From her first day on this earth, she would look you in the eye, and it felt as though she could see your soul. She knew how to connect and how to make people feel seen. She was a happy little baby who seemed wise beyond her years.

Ellie was born a protector. She loved and cared for everyone and everything with all her heart. There wasn’t a person who met her who wasn’t instantly touched by her thoughtfulness.

When Ellie was 18 months old, we took her on a three-month RV road trip across the United States. She saw her first bison, perfected her walking skills, and learned countless new words. We spent quality time together as a family of three, plus our two dogs, exploring, hiking, swimming, and living for each day.

We settled down in Colorado shortly after, finding a home and a community in Boulder. Ellie got her first ukulele at 22 months and started singing her original songs while strumming along. Music was in her soul. She was always singing, dancing, and putting on performances for whoever was lucky enough to watch.

Ellie had a passion for so many things, including puppies, playing soccer and basketball, hip-hop dancing, watching CU women’s sports, fashion, and her friends. If you knew Ellie, you also knew her favorites, as she loved to share the things she loved most. She wanted to be a teacher when she grew up and would often set her dolls up in a group to tell them stories. She also wanted to be famous—to be known. She was everything that we aspire to be.

At six and three-quarter years old, Ellie passed away in a tragic accident while playing in our backyard, and our hearts shattered into a million pieces. Words cannot truly describe the intense pain and loss that we continue to feel each day. Losing our perfect little girl changed us to the core, leaving us forever broken.

Ellie is our light, our shining star, and our path forward in this uncertain future. She guides us through each day, and we are committed to ensuring that her legacy lives on through us. The Be Like Ellie Foundation was founded to carry on Ellie's gift of making the world a better place, one simple act of kindness at a time.