When Carisa and Neville Britton first met as university students, the pair had no idea that a chance meeting in the library would lead them to build a legacy in Edmonton: a city they didn’t yet know would one day be their home. “I moved away from my parents and went to university, and that’s how I met Neville, and then it sort of blossomed into something. He was like my best friend,” explains Carisa.
“I really believe in being best friends, and then you can weather any storm.”
Now, more than 20 years after their first meeting — and nearly 5,000 kilometres away — the two have set down roots in Edmonton, and weathered many storms together. In December 2012, Neville moved to Edmonton for a job opportunity. And although the climate was a far cry from the Caribbean temperatures he was used to, he was determined to make it work. “It was a challenge at first, but I think the resilience and mindset change made things a little bit easier to absorb because I’m a person that if I put my mind and my heart into something, regardless of the challenges, I’ll make it work,” he says.
As Neville layered up in Edmonton, Carisa prepared to follow suit. In 2013, after researching the city and the community of people who call Edmonton home, she packed her bags and joined Neville in Edmonton. In time, the couple came to love their new home. As the Brittons adjusted to the cooler climate, the couple settled in, and became more involved in the community through Neville’s work and Carisa’s involvement in a local chapter of Rotary International.
In 2018, their lives in Edmonton firmly established, they got some exciting news: their family would soon be growing. At first, they were hesitant to get their hopes up after a history of miscarriages. But as Carisa reached the end of her first trimester, their feelings began to change. “This one was different in the sense that I had passed my first trimester, and I remember our doctor, she was saying, ‘you guys should be excited.’ But because of our past history, we were really on the cautious side,” says Carisa. Over time, caution gave way to optimism and anticipation. The couple found out the sex of the baby — a girl — and prepared to welcome her, buying books and making plans for a nursery. “Neville was excited. He was reading to the baby at night, and we were all excited,” Carisa explains.
Over time, caution gave way to optimism and anticipation. The couple found out the sex of the baby — a girl — and prepared to welcome her, buying books and making plans for a nursery. “Neville was excited. He was reading to the baby at night, and we were all excited,” Carisa explains. Unfortunately, the spark of excitement and hope would be short lived. At 24-weeks pregnant, Carisa’s water broke. The pair rushed to the hospital, fearing the worst. “They told us that it’s a 50/50 chance, meaning that they’re going to put me on bedrest, but they’re not sure which direction it will go: it could take several turns,” explains Carisa. “And the turn that it took was a turn for the worst.”
After monitoring Carisa’s health, doctors were forced to induce labour in order to save both her and her baby’s lives. On February 11, 2019, Carisa gave birth to a baby girl, Jessica Carisa Britton. The Brittons were hopeful about Jessica’s chances of survival, as doctors noted she was born with a strong heartbeat, but sadly she passed away the next day, surrounded by the love of her parents. “You know, when someone would say, you have this picture-perfect family so you have a photograph, and this family looks really perfect. And then one day that picture, it falls on the ground, and it all shatters,” says Carisa. “I feel like a part of me died.”
The loss was devastating to both Carisa and Neville. In the months that followed, they navigated many stages of grief, together, with counsellors, and with the support of the community. In time, they came to realize that they wanted to turn Jessica’s short life — and the few beautiful hours they had together — into an everlasting legacy. Initially, the Brittons began talking about forming a foundation in Jessica’s honour, to support and thank the team at the Royal Alexandra Hospital who had cared for them when Jessica was born. But the process of forming a foundation was complex and unclear. It was only once a friend suggested they look into Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) that they realized creating a legacy for Jessica was well within reach.
The couple founded the Jessica Carisa Britton Fund, with the intention of supporting and strengthening the community they now call home. Today, the fund is still growing, and will be ready to start granting by the end of 2025 — ensuring that Jessica’s memory will live on through generations of community support. “Even though she didn’t speak, she didn’t say a word, our overall plan is to have her voice be heard through ECF as loud as possible,” says Neville. “Jessica fought to be here and she had the strongest heartbeat. So we want to make sure that that love is put into action, giving back, making the community a better place,” adds Carisa.
This story comes from the Fall 2025 Edition of Thrive Magazine.
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