Pursue Your Strength: Brittany Fisher

Brittany Fisher has built her life around helping others. As a nurse specializing in infection prevention in northern Colorado, she dedicates her days to protecting the health of patients. At home, she shifts into her most demanding role: mother to a vibrant five-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair.

Brittany’s journey to becoming a nurse was born out of loss. Once a firefighter, she left her career to care for her 18-year-old brother during his battle with cancer. For a year, she devoted herself to his needs, witnessing his strength and suffering until his passing. That experience became the catalyst for her return to nursing school, trusting that her life’s purpose lay in caring for others.

But nothing could have prepared her for the challenges she would face as a mother.

In 2019, Brittany’s son was born prematurely after a difficult pregnancy. At three months old, he suffered a stroke, aspirated on his milk, and went into cardiac arrest. For 32 agonizing minutes, her husband, a paramedic, performed CPR until their son’s heart started beating again. What followed was two months on a ventilator and an unimaginable storm of trauma. During this time, Brittany’s husband faced wrongful accusations of child abuse, enduring the heartbreak of jail, before the case was dismissed.

“I never thought I’d go through anything harder than watching my brother die,” Brittany says. “But there I sat, corrected.”

Her son eventually came home with a formal diagnosis of cerebral palsy, complicated by seizures and the lingering effects of his stroke. Now nine, he requires constant care, with the physical abilities of an infant.

Brittany and her husband’s days are filled with lifting, carrying, and nurturing their son, ensuring he has the best quality of life possible. And yet, she also finds herself racing against time—balancing caregiving with her demanding nursing career and caring for a spirited toddler.

From Strength to Setback

Amid it all, Brittany found salvation in strength training. A lifelong athlete, she had always loved lifting weights, but it wasn’t until her son’s life changed that the gym became more than an outlet. It became her sanctuary.

“The gym became a companion where I could cry, scream, and cuss, but still walk out stronger than when I entered,” she says.

Her home gym, a modest space shared with her son’s medical equipment, allows her to remain present for her children while prioritizing her own strength. For Brittany, lifting weights isn’t just about stress relief; it’s about survival. Her physical strength allows her to carry and care for her son as he grows older, a responsibility she shoulders with love and determination.

Redefining Strength Through Design

Brittany’s life hasn’t followed the trajectory she once envisioned, but she has found gratitude in the path she walks.

“I’m proud of what my body has carried me through, and I’m grateful that my life—while not what I imagined—is beautiful in its own way,” she says.

Strength Beneath the Surface

Through grief, trauma, and the relentless demands of caregiving, Brittany Fisher’s strength is an unyielding testament to the power of love and resilience. It’s not just about the weights she lifts; it’s about the life she carries, day after day, with courage and grace.

Pursue Your Strength

This profile is part of our "Pursue Your Strength" series. To see more inspiring stories, check out our full collection of strength stories here.