Act to Impact with Brandi DeVries

Her Mom Disappeared. Now She's Fighting for Every Missing Person.

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 29:08

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when the person you love disappears—and you don't have answers?

In 2019, at just 18 years old, Ellie Green's mother went missing, changing her life forever. Suddenly, Ellie found herself navigating the unimaginable uncertainty that comes with having a missing loved one while trying to understand how to move forward without the answers her family desperately wanted.

But Ellie chose not to let her pain define her.

Today, as Miss Kansas International 2026 and founder of Hope Has a Name, Ellie is using her voice to advocate for missing persons and the families left searching for answers. She shares why every missing person is more than a statistic, the misconceptions surrounding missing persons cases, and why families must feel empowered to continue advocating for their loved ones.

In this powerful episode of Act to Impact, Brandi and Ellie explore the emotional reality of ambiguous loss, the importance of community support, and how sharing your story can transform personal pain into a purpose that helps others.

Ellie's story is a reminder that hope doesn't require certainty—and you don't need to have all the answers to make an impact.

In this episode, you'll discover:

  •  How Ellie's mother's disappearance changed the trajectory of her life 
  •  Why every missing person deserves to be remembered as more than a statistic 
  •  The importance of speaking up and advocating for missing loved ones 
  •  How Ellie uses storytelling and art as tools for healing 
  •  Why families experiencing a missing-person case can feel especially isolated 
  •  How personal tragedy can become a catalyst for meaningful advocacy 
  •  Why sharing your story can help someone else feel less alone 
  •  How you can turn your own experiences into action and purpose

💛 Are you inspired to take action? Approach life with an open heart, educate themselves about autism, and support initiatives that foster inclusivity and understanding.

Take action and make an impact on a child affected by childhood cancer. Support the much-needed funding for childhood cancer by making a donation NOW to CCRF!

Take a moment today to share this episode with a friend, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe on YouTube so more people can learn about this important issue.

Subscribe and Follow: Don’t miss an episode! New episodes drop every other Wednesday.

Hosted by Brandi DeVries: Advocate, fundraiser, and former Mrs. Minnesota International 2025.

Thank you to guest Ellie Green 

Website: Hope Has a Name

STAY CONNECTED.
IG: instagram.com/brandi.devries and instagram.com/acttoimpactpod

Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Watch now.
SPOTIFY