By JOE ALBRIGHT
Josephpalbright3@gmail.com
GLENVILLE – Gilmer County junior point guard Allie Ellyson considers her basketball community and the local Gilmer community similar to her family, but over the last four months, they have become a part of her family.
Speaking to the media for the first time since losing her home and two pets in a blaze and her grandfather all in the last four months, Ellyson credited her community and basketball family as her guiding' light during her time of greatest need.
"The coaches, the players, the parents, it was just unreal," recalled Allie's grandmother, Denise Ellyson.
She's not messing around with that statement.
"Everybody from everywhere around the state helped us out personally which is something I never thought would happen," Allie said. The support was widespread. Girls from her old W.Va. Thunder team, from the Ohio Valley Red Dragons, and AAU teams she's never known all reached out with assistance.
North Marion's girls' basketball program gave a generous donation to Allie's mother.
"One of the parents came to me, and I didn't know who she was, and she gave me money. And I said, "But I don't know you guys, I don't know how to repay this kindness," recalled Allie's mother, Wakasa Ellyson.
Wheeling Park's Alexis Bordas reached out with support. Wayne's Adkins twins, Brooke and Addie reached out with support. But, they didn't just send money.
Some gave food. Some girls banded together and replaced Allie's Dragons' uniform and shoes she would need to play more AAU basketball. One anonymous donor even replaced her treasured Gilmer County letterman's jacket. Ellyson especially appreciated the basketball uniform as she still is on the hunt for a college program.
Everyone wasn't reaching out to just her, though. "At one point, we had to tell everyone that Allie was good on everything," Denise said. So, they re-directed their assistance to Allie's mother. "Anything I needed like clothes or things, I got," she said.
Yet, those outpourings of support never dried up. Donors pushed past basic needs into basketball. They allowed Ellyson to continue her quest to find a home for the next four years on the basketball court.
This kindness lifted a further weight off an already troubled mind.
"It was something that really worried me," she said of playing college basketball. "That isn't something you can just brush past." And, she didn't miss any of the games except for the last two at the Select 40 Finale. She returned to the court just a few weeks later at the Classic in Louisville. Things were finally beginning to feel a little more like normal.
"It was a relief," Allie said about taking to the court for the first time. "The Dobbins twins took me and they understand how much they helped us, but it was hard for me emotionally because in my mind I am thinking 'I am back here and ready to have fun, but I really wanted to stay and help."
She, even, discussed staying with her parents. But, Lee and Wakasa encouraged Allie to take the trip to the Bluegrass State to play in front of the college coaches. "They were all telling me to go have fun and go do your thing and I did have fun," Ellyson said.
Her mood and summer gained some semblance of routine over the next weeks. She continued playing all through the month of May, through her summer league season with Gilmer County, and most of July's AAU schedule. Her mood kept improving, every day. Yet, the family suffered another blow on Day 2 of The Finale.
After she'd finally mentally come to terms with the loss of her pets and possessions, her wound ripped back open.
"I was in Cincinnati playing in the Finale when I received a call from my father as he went to the gas station for drinks and gas or whatever," she said. "He said 'Allie, I need you to pack everything up. We need to go back to Glenville. Your grandfather might have passed away."
Ellyson recalled the news compared to getting hit by a car. "I was in shock and packed everything up not knowing what was going on at home," she said. "I was worried out of my mind."
The news brought two bad fronts. Ellyson believes her duty is to her team when she's not there. Those thoughts conflicted with the thoughts of being with her family. "It was one of the hardest car rides I ever had to sit through in my life," she said.
Terry Ellyson's passing left his granddaughter in a vulnerable state. "I was completely not prepared for that," she said.
In the following days, Ellyson, who didn't want to leave her team in a tight spot, received the ultimate assurances and condolences from her teammates. "It is okay you left,' they told me," Ellyson said of the messages. "And that really meant a lot because I knew I had to leave but on the other hand I was in a hard spot."
She's not in a hard spot, so much, anymore.
Support for the family continues to this day, running alongside Ellyson's warm feelings.
Her appreciation hasn't died down as her family and she prepares to move into their new home. They're currently living in the home side of Ellyson's Mortuary and she's just as grateful for the help. The biggest thing she worries about today is breaking the glassware all around her.
She continues to be overwhelmed and blown away by the amount of support directed toward her and her family.
Ellyson said the act will leave a mark. "These girls are amazing and they have Division I offers and it made me feel amazing that people reached out to me in that way," she said. "From the bottom of my heart, I am extremely grateful. It changed my life and it changed my summer. I could not have gone on without the people who did it."
