I was recently asked to help honor the life of a little girl named Ellie. Ellie Pruitt passed away in February at eight years old after battling several autoimmune diseases. She was a second grader at Carmel Elementary School in Woodstock, Georgia.
At three years old, Ellie was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis after complaining of fatigue and leg pain. She loved to play outside, but began playing with her toys at the kitchen table because it was too painful for her to sit on the floor. After Ellie’s diagnosis, she began a treatment course of steroids and injections, as well as participated in a medical study attempting to determine the cause of autoimmune disease. The Pruitt family got involved in the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk to Cure Arthritis.
In the days following Ellie’s death, her parents, Chuck and Heather Pruitt, found a piece of paper in Ellie’s room. On it, she had written out a list entitled “My Room Rules” and included the following: 1. Have fun, 2. No fighting, 3. No pushing, shoving, or hitting, 4. Always love. Her parents chose to share the list of Ellie’s rules with her second grade classmates, hoping that it would provide some comfort to the kids.
Heather said of her daughter, “I think Ellie’s mission on Earth was to make sure everyone had a best friend. Everybody said ‘you raised her so well,’ and I’m like, she was easy to raise. She was amazing.” Soon, the entire Woodstock community embraced Ellie’s final rule as a mantra: Always love. Local businesses posted the rule on their signs and recently, the entire community organized “Ellie’s Day” to honor her. Teachers, staff, and students at the area schools wore yellow shirts and of course, I was honored to deliver two huge signs dedicated to Ellie’s memory. All of us at Sign Greeters have embraced Ellie’s rule, and we hope all of you will too.
To learn more about Juvenile Arthritis or to make a donation in Ellie’s memory, please visit www.arthritis.org/diseases/juvenile-arthritis.
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