PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — It was a pep rally atmosphere at The Elise Ford Allen Academy as the school celebrated its Hoops with Hearts charity event.
Students from the school played a pickup basketball game with the rest of the school watching. This was all for 8th-grader Lonna Beasley, who has almost fully recovered after almost needing a heart transplant last year. Her mother, Misty Beasley, said that medicine and prayer were able to get her daughter through the medical hardship.
Misty Beasley also said that events like these can raise the spirits of students who are in rough situations.
“I hope that more students that have heart issues get something out of it, to know that there’s always a positive side of things, not to always think of the negative but to enjoy life as we have it,” Beasley said.
The event raised money for the American Heart Association. Beasley said they hope to raise $1,000 for the organization.