In Loving Memory of Kelly And Noah

IN LOVING MEMORY

HONORING KELLY & NOAH

Last week, I experienced the most gut-wrenching, unimaginable grief of my life. On September 3rd, 2024, our dear friend Kelly Barrett Sarama suffered a sudden-onset medical emergency in the final stages of her pregnancy that led to the tragic loss of both her and her baby boy, Noah Brian Sarama. This month, I had planned to write a blog post on “ways to support friends who are newly postpartum,” in honor of her upcoming due date. Kelly was a constant support in my own postpartum journey, and it felt fitting to reflect on her unwavering friendship as she prepared for motherhood. But as life often does, it had other plans. Instead, it feels only right to honor Kelly and Noah's memory this way.

Yesterday, we gathered for Kelly’s service, which was both one of the hardest and most beautiful experiences of my life. It’s impossible to think of navigating the days ahead without her, and finding a new normal feels like an overwhelming challenge.

As we honored her life, I had the privilege of delivering the eulogy her husband, Brian, asked me to prepare. It was incredibly difficult to find the words, but I wanted to capture the essence of who Kelly was and what she meant to me and everyone who knew her. This is what I shared:

Good morning, everyone. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Caralyn, and I had the privilege of calling Kelly one of my closest friends. Our husbands, Brian and Brian, have been best friends since kindergarten, so Kelly and I became close, and I’m so grateful for that. Our friend group was mostly made up of lawyers and other young professionals, and while we all took different paths, it was Kelly who prioritized making sure the eight of us stayed close. She was the glue that held us together all these years. Kelly was the heartbeat of our group: steady, dependable, pragmatic, and strong. It’s difficult to imagine life without her.

Just last Saturday, Kelly organized a get-together for us. We went to an early bird special at Aroma around 5pm. Kelly had eggplant parm, and she was fixated on the donuts for dessert. We had experienced so much life and friendship together thus far, and at this dinner, we talked about how exciting it was going to be to experience motherhood together. We hugged goodbye, and Marc walked her to her car. That’s the last time I saw Kelly.

The night before she died, I texted her, telling her how proud I was of her, that she was about to experience a love like no other. I told her she was so prepared to take on this next challenge, and how I couldn’t wait to see her thrive in this new chapter of her life. She hearted the message.

What I admire most about Kelly was her fearlessness. She wasn’t afraid to speak out about the things that mattered to her, whether it was a current event or something she believed in deeply. She advocated for mental health awareness, women’s health, and countless other important issues. In her day job, she was an advocate for the elderly, always looking out for the ones no one else did. Kelly faced many challenges in her life, but she never backed down. She stood her ground, set boundaries, and advocated for what she believed in with grace and strength. It’s something I’ll always admire about her.

She also had this incredible ability to see the good in people, no matter their flaws. She didn’t judge or complain. Even when those around her made mistakes, she accepted them for who they were and loved them unconditionally. That kind of loyalty is rare, and it’s one of the many reasons Kelly was so special to all of us. Kelly was fiercely loyal and supportive, always there to cheer me on. She showed up in the little things, too—whether it was buying my latest suggestions or simply being there to listen when I needed it.

And then there was her garden. Kelly *loved* her garden, especially her zucchinis and cucumbers, which we all had a good laugh about because, well, they were often hilariously phallic. But she took so much joy in it, and her happiness was contagious.

Kelly was incredibly sweet to my son, Conrad. We used to joke about how our boys would grow up to get into trouble together and be best friends, just like their dads. It breaks my heart that we won’t get to see that happen, but I know Kelly and baby Noah are watching over us with love.

To Brian: Please know that we’re all here for you, always. You’re not alone in this. Kelly and Noah will forever be a part of our lives, and we will continue to honor their memory in everything we do. Kelly’s legacy—her loyalty, her humor, her fearlessness, her heartbeat—will live on in all of us. Thank you.

Writing that eulogy was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But I’m grateful I had the chance to share how Kelly touched my life and the lives of everyone she met. Her kindness, advocacy, loyalty, and ability to bring people together are qualities that I will carry with me forever.

As I move forward, I want to thank everyone for your overwhelming love and support during this time. Your kindness has carried me through one of the hardest moments of my life, and I’m deeply grateful for it.

In this tragedy, there is a small comfort in knowing that Kelly, selfless as always, was an organ donor. Even in her passing, she went on to save lives, continuing her legacy of giving to others in the most profound way possible.

Getting back into posting feels superfluous right now, but I know Kelly would want me to continue. She was always my biggest supporter, and I believe focusing on something beyond my grief, even just for a few moments, is part of healing. But I also know there is no "going back" after this. I am forever changed by the loss of Kelly and sweet baby Noah. Their memory will live on in everything I do.

As I figure out what my new cadence looks like, I ask for grace as I navigate this space. Thank you for standing by me through it all. We will continue to honor Kelly and Noah’s legacy, in both big and small ways, as they will forever be a part of us.

For those looking to support
Kelly’s husband during this unimaginable time,

A GoFundMe has been set up to help with expenses and to honor Kelly and Noah’s memory. In addition to the GoFundMe, our hope is to start a foundation in Kelly’s name to continue her legacy of advocacy and support for the causes she was so passionate about. We’ll keep everyone posted on the progress as we work to honor her life in this meaningful way.

Thank You For reading

This is the last photo I have with Kelly from our final dinner together. She was so excited about these donuts, and we laughed about it the whole night. It’s a sweet, simple memory I’ll cherish forever. Miss you, my dear friend.

xx CMK