When Caitlyn Burrell looks at recent family photos, there is a face missing. It is the face of her 2-year-old son, Emmett Burrell who just two years ago, drowned after wandering off out of sight into a canal in Spanish Fork.
The incident happened on July 7, 2023 while Emmett was at football practice with his dad Lance Burrell, who was assisting coaching at American Leadership Academy at the time. According to reports, Emmett had wandered about a quarter-mile away from the football field and was found unresponsive in about four feet of water. Despite life-saving efforts, little Emmet was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident that is still very fresh in the minds of members of the Burrell family, is a reminder of how precious life is. Caitlyn told Serve Daily that it is also a reminder of how important it is to not just keep the memory of their loved ones alive, but to maintain their eternal place in your family.
“Around the time of Emmet’s passing, we had someone reach out and ask if we wanted a digital art piece,” Caitlyn recalled.
“During that early time, my family received a digital art piece of our family with Jesus,” Caitlyn wrote in a social media post. “This piece has been a comfort to us. As our family has changed and grown, we have been blessed and grateful to receive digital art that depicts our changing family. Photos just can’t include our sweet boy anymore as he isn’t with us. These pictures help us feel whole as a family.”
Caitlyn said that the family photo touched her heart so much that she wanted to do something for other families who had lost loved ones.
“Over the years, I have been looking for a way to help others and do something in Emmett’s memory, and I decided to see if others would like a piece of art that included their loved one,” Caitlyn said.
For the past couple of months, Caitlyn has set out to do just that by starting a social media page called Art Beyond Emmet. On that page, she has a Google form where those who would like an art piece can submit a request.
“As these portraits have been so near and dear to me, I decided to learn how to create them myself,” Caitlyn wrote. “Since Emmett passed I’ve been searching for a way to honor him and give back to families in similar situations. So I was inspired to start Art Beyond Emmett and create portraits that will hopefully bring comfort into the lives of families after losing a child in the same way it has mine. This is something I want to do as a gift to these families in honor of my sweet boy Emmett.”
One of many who Caitlyn has been able to help is Megan Southam who lost her infant son in premature childbirth.
“Caitlyn made me a picture (holding) my son Asher,” Southam said. “Asher was born Oct. 13, 2023 at 17 weeks gestation. My parents never got a chance to hold him or get a picture with him, so I wanted a picture of my son with my parents as a way for them to remember him. When my parents got this picture, they were completely touched and loved it.”
Southam is hoping to do IVF in hopes of being able to have a child, and is holding a fundraiser, selling spudnuts (donuts) through an online order form (links.servedaily.com/donuts) for July 12th and “gratefully accepting donations” from those who are willing through Venmo @mormongirlwithagreatsmile.
Caitlyn said that helping individuals and families like Southam’s has helped her heal and feel closer to her son.
“When I am doing these art pieces, it helps me not to feel so alone,” Caitlyn said. “When I’m sitting down and doing art, I feel close to Emmett. Emmet was all boy and just super wild and crazy and loved to explore. He loved Spiderman. He was just so sweet and full of love. He loved big and had big emotions.”
Those who submit a request for an art piece are asked to submit several pictures of their loved one and family, and Caitlyn uses a computer program to do overlay art to create the piece.
Those interested can find more information by going to @artbeyondemmett on Instagram or Facebook.
