The Longest Elevator Ride: A Mother’s Journey Through Loss, Love, and Legacy

The Longest Elevator Ride is Caressa Todd’s deeply personal account of motherhood, the loss of her six-month-old daughter, Ryan Danielle Booker, and the grief, trauma, love, and purpose that followed.

Caressa takes readers from becoming Ryan’s mother through the emergency that changed everything, the hospital, the devastation of child loss, and the difficult process of learning to live afterward. She also shares how Ryan’s life inspired the creation of The Ryan Danielle Foundation, an organization dedicated to infant CPR, choking-prevention education, and helping families feel prepared for emergencies.

Written with honesty, compassion, and love, this short memoir speaks to grieving parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and anyone seeking to understand how profound loss can become a lasting legacy.