Our Story
Christopher was born with CDG, a rare disease that affected his cognitive and physical development. Despite the challenges he faced, Christopher was known for his radiant smile and his thick, unmistakable head of hair. The kind of details that made him instantly recognizable and deeply loved by everyone who met him.Christopher's mother, Melissa, was his biggest advocate. Every day, she provided his care, encouraged his growth through reading and activities, and worked alongside him as he learned to use adaptive equipment to move through the world. She didn't just care for Christopher, she fought for his ability to engage, to learn, and to experience life as fully as possible. Christopher passed away unexpectedly at age 11 in January 2025.
A Foundation Born From Love
The Christopher Ryan Foundation was originally created to help children with disabilities gain access to adaptive equipment, meaningful experiences, and specialized therapy; which was the same kind of support that helped Christopher live his fullest life.
After Christopher passed, the foundation's mission shifted. Melissa understood, in the most personal way possible, what it means to grieve the loss of a child and she recognized that families and individuals grieving a loved one needed spaces where their grief could exist without judgement or timelines. Today, the foundation carries Christopher's name forward by supporting others walking through similar loss.
Our Mission
The mission of our non-profit is to support families and individuals after the loss of a loved one by creating spaces, resources, and community that help them feel seen, supported, and not alone.
Melissa's Voice
Melissa shares her own grief journey openly, often through social media, from a place she describes as raw, real, and intentional. She doesn't offer easy answers or tell people how to feel. Instead, she creates space for grief, for healing, and for whatever a person needs to feel on any given day. That same spirit is at the heart of everything the foundation offers.
Watch Melissa's Documentary
"Searching for the Light" is a heartwarming film that celebrates Melissa, a mother of three boys, a full-time caregiver to her severely disabled son, a loving wife to Ryan, and a woman who finds beauty in her everyday life despite the numerous challenges she faces.
Meet Our Board
Melissa Schlemmer
Founder, Director
Christopher was Melissa's son, and he remains the heart and driving force behind this foundation. After eleven years of caregiving for him, his death brought with it many layered losses; not just Christopher himself, but the identity, routine, and purpose that came with caring for him every day.
Today, Melissa works at a wig salon, helping women rebuild their confidence while she searches for new grounding in a world without Christopher.
At the foundation, Melissa leads community outreach and shares the raw, vulnerable parts of her own grief openly, creating space for others to feel less alone in theirs. Outside of her work here, she loves yoga, walking in nature, having fun with clothes, and spending time with her family.
Pam Berry
Treasurer
Pam is Christopher's grandmother, which gives her a deeply personal connection to this cause. In an especially painful twist of timing, she also lost her own mother on the same day as her grandson, one of several losses she's carried in her life.
Pam spent 15 years as a daycare provider before moving into event coordination. She's now retired, but brings that same hands-on, detail-oriented spirit to the foundation, helping brainstorm ideas and pitching in wherever she's needed.
Pam is married with two daughters, one son, two bonus daughters, and eight grandchildren. She loves spending time with her family, being at home, and working in her garden.
Julie Morris
Secretary
Julie served as a caregiver to both of her parents, who passed away within the last ten years. She has also been close friends with Melissa and her family for over 35 years, giving her a deeply personal connection to the foundation's mission and to Christopher's story.
Julie brings a varied professional background to the board - from her years in human resources to owning a costume design company for over two decades. Today, she works as a care team manager for a client in his nineties, work that keeps her close to the everyday realities of caregiving. She brings that same spirit of care to the foundation, driven simply by a passion for helping others.
Outside the foundation, Julie loves to spend time with her family, travel, sit by the ocean, and quilt.
Deb Morris
Digital Media Relations
Deb has experienced the grief of losing both of her parents within the past ten years, and understands firsthand the challenge of moving forward while still holding their presence in daily life. As the mother of an adult son with special needs, she's also deeply familiar with the extra time, advocacy, and devotion that caregiving moms give to their children - often quietly, and often without recognition.
Deb is a Senior Manager of UX Design and Digital Accessibility at Jamf. She brings that expertise directly to the foundation, helping build and maintain our website, manage our brand assets, and design merchandise.
When she's not working, Deb can usually be found hiking nature trails or spending time with family.