Victor Ellis article in TFP

[zonepirate]

Even with a rare cancer, Ellis inspires

 

 

 

Maybe it??™s best to avoid the question, the one-word response many people ponder when told about the rapidly spreading cancer plaguing the 27-year-old body of Victor Ellis.

Why?

Ellis coughs and coughs, especially at night, but he doesn??™t smoke or drink. He always ate healthy, but not before blessing the food. His infectious smile and amiable demeanor at the University of Alabama and Red Bank High School left impressions on classmates ??” not just the athletes, according to his high school coach, Tom Weathers. But less than two months ago, Ellis became one of 50 people ever to be diagnosed with this severe type of cancer.

So maybe it??™s best to keep the life questions to a minimum and remind everyone why Ellis can inspire friends from a cancer center in Houston ??” remember why people continually call him ???special??? and learn how we can help his family. By doing so, we can continue to add ???why???? after hearing Victor??™s name, only in a different manner.

As in, victor-y.

Ellis will not succumb to the pain or lose faith. Ahmaad Galloway believes that, and he would know.

The former standout Alabama running back played football in Millington, Tenn., with Ellis starting in the seventh grade, and they became, in his words, like twins. When Galloway committed to play football at Notre Dame, Ellis convinced him to visit Alabama. Galloway said he made the trip and immediately decided he would wear crimson.

Ellis just has that way, making people want to spend more time with him, making them feel special. Tim and Kathy Miller, who developed a family-like relationship with Ellis when he befriended their daughter Kristyn at Alabama, said they always marveled at the way he treated fans who recognized him. No wonder he most recently worked in Charlotte recruiting prospective students to the University of Alabama.

???He always makes you feel like he??™s so glad to see you,??? said Kathy Miller, who started the Victor Ellis Assistance Fund in Chattanooga along with her husband. ???He??™s a one-of-a-kind kid.???

Galloway measured his strength, his work ethic, to Ellis at Alabama. Ellis was a member of the Academic All-SEC team, was second on the Tide in tackles during the 2000 season, was the best man in Galloway??™s wedding last April and was still looking like someone in July who could help Nick Saban??™s defense.

And then that cough started.

Ellis started taking over-thecounter medicine to suppress the cough, which did not seem to help. A biopsy revealed he had an aggressive type of cancer that starts out as a form of sickle cell. He has a tumor on his lung. He has another one on his kidney.

His health is declining rapidly despite ongoing chemotherapy treatments at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Ellis will likely come to his mother??™s house in Chattanooga this weekend for three weeks before returning to Houston.

Cancer can take away his health, but it cannot take away his personality or his spirit. Ellis is still the congenial, affable person whom the people at Red Bank and Alabama can??™t forget.

???It sounds strange,??? Galloway said, ???but he??™s holding me up.

???He??™s giving me comfort. I??™ve never been more proud of Victor. He??™s been remarkable. There were times on the football field when we told each other to toughen up. This is certainly not one of them. He??™s been resilient. He spends more time asking how I??™m doing, about my wife and being away from my job to be with him. Everything but himself. From that, you have to be inspired.???

The Alabama fans are inspired. With word spreading about Ellis??™ health through message boards and blogs, the Bryant Bank in Alabama has already raised $5,000. Tim Miller said he recently received a check for $1,000 from a Crimson Tide fan in South Alabama. It??™s hard for Alabama fans to ignore one of their family members. It??™s also hard to forget a guy like Ellis.

Which makes news of his illness even more difficult.

???It??™s just so painful,??? said Weathers, now at Soddy-Daisy High School. ???What a great guy. It??™s hard to take and hard to imagine, as young as he is, to have cancer as bad as they say he does. I don??™t know what else to say other than it really hurts.???

Ellis also hurts. He won??™t talk about his pain much, but Kathy Miller can hear it in his voice. But somehow Ellis always steers the conversation toward the Miller family or Alabama football or other friends in Chattanooga. He??™s worried about everyone else. They??™re worried about him. So the donations, the prayers and the cards keep coming from Chattanooga friends and Alabama fans.

???It??™s our fight,??? Galloway said, ???and the Alabama nation is uplifting Victor.???

Victor-y, indeed.

E-mail Darren Epps at

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Send cards or donations to: Victor Ellis Assistance Fund 2301 Hickory Valley Road Chattanooga, TN 37421