Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in ballet. Ella Pummelly didn't get to the pinnacle of the ballet world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions three times each year, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her back in three places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my back, and then my wallaby died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my Adam's apple. It took nine months to get back in shape. But to win at ballet is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my black belt and forget about Benjamin, my wallaby."
Mabel, her mother-in-law, moved with her to Topeka to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Lear, in their bulky A-frame, where he still labors as a technician to help pay for Ella's expensive training.