Elizabeth Elder
Founder & Executive Director
Elizabeth Elder grew up in Memorial and moved home to Houston in 2013 after living and working in New York, Dallas, and Shreveport. She and her husband James welcomed their daughter Annabelle in 2010, and Annabelle started showing early signs of developmental delays, which Elizabeth and James believed were due to an undeveloped larynx that would self-correct by the age of one. Fourteen months later, Blair was born and Annabelle was still as much of a newborn developmentally as her little brother. Soon it became apparent that Blair was also missing milestones, and there must be a greater genetic condition causing both Annabelle and Blair to require medical intervention. For years there were hundreds of doctor visits, therapy sessions, and Google searches, but no answers. The best thing they had was hope.
In 2015, Annabelle and Blair were diagnosed with Leigh Syndrome, a neurodegenerative disease. Finally with an answer, they knew where to focus their efforts. And, with the mutated gene LIPT1 identified, Elizabeth and James were able to have a third child through IVF and genetic embryonic testing.
Their youngest child Clark was born in 2017 and for the next four years, life was good. Steel Magnolia Moms was growing, Annabelle and Blair were enrolled in and responding well to a trial treatment drug, Clark was keeping everyone entertained, Elizabeth and James had hit their stride in adulting. Then on October 6, 2021, Annabelle, gained her angel wings due to complications of Leigh Syndrome. She had just turned eleven.
Although her life was entirely too short, it was fully lived with purpose. Annabelle inspired Steel Magnolia Moms with her love and light. Elizabeth is dedicated to growing Steel Magnolia Moms so all moms of children with special needs feel that love and see the light, knowing they are not alone.
