How Ryder and Leah Ashley Inspired It All

The Day Ryder Chose Me

The day Ryder came into my life was one of the best days I can remember.
Growing up, I adored the cats my family had, but Ryder was my first dog — and I was just days away from my 30th birthday. It had been a tough year leading up to that milestone, and I was searching for a companion to help fill a quiet space in my life.

One evening, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post from a local rescue called 2 Blondes All Breeds. The photo stopped me cold — a tiny black puppy with golden-brown eyes and a bright red harness, staring straight into the camera. The caption explained that he had been overlooked again at a recent adoption event, and his foster mom couldn’t understand why. They suspected Black Dog Syndrome, a bias in which darker-colored dogs are often passed over in shelters simply because of their color. It broke my heart that this perfect little soul kept being missed.

I reached out to the rescue and was quickly connected with his foster family — a kind couple who had already laid such a loving foundation for him. When I met Ryder for the first time, something inside me just knew. We only spent thirty minutes together before I realized I couldn’t imagine leaving without him. He came home the very next day, and the rest is history.

Ryder became my constant. My reason to get up when the world felt heavy. The one who reminded me to find joy in small things and to keep choosing love no matter how hard life gets. He didn’t just become my best friend — he saved my life.

The Light That Was Leah Ashley

Leah Ashley was my aunt, but more than that, she was my closest friend growing up — only eleven and a half months older than me. We shared almost everything: our childhood adventures, our laughter, and a bond that felt more like sisters than aunt and niece.

She was creative, compassionate, and always full of light. Her laughter could change the energy of an entire room. Some of my favorite memories include Leah and our cousin Brent — we were a trio inseparable in those early years. Losing both Leah and Brent in their early twenties changed my world forever. The days have been a little dimmer since, but their memory remains a guiding light in everything I do.

Leah’s creativity, her heart for animals, and her ability to find beauty in simplicity have always inspired me. I know she would be so proud of the purpose behind this brand — because, like me, she believed in leading with love. Leah’s name now lives on as a symbol of compassion, creativity, and care — the values that built Leah Ashley’s Organics.

Ryder’s Story and the Birth of LAO

Years later, when Ryder’s health began to change, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. A lump appeared on his neck — one that would later be diagnosed as a thyroid tumor. The surgery was too risky, and I knew I had to find another way to support him. That moment became a turning point in my life.

I began researching holistic, organic care — determined to do everything I could to make him comfortable and keep him thriving. I overhauled his diet, turned to natural supplements, and developed small, clean-batch products that could nourish the skin and body safely — both his and mine.

That’s when Leah Ashley’s Organics was born.
What started as a personal mission to take better care of Ryder became something bigger — a way to help others care for themselves and their pets without compromise.

Every balm, oil, and product I make carries that purpose. Ryder’s courage taught me that healing comes in many forms, and Leah’s memory reminds me to create from the heart. Together, their stories became the foundation of LAO — a brand rooted in love, resilience, and compassion.