Allen Ice Angels Cheer on Teammate Recovering from Stroke
(Here’s more on Tessa’s story that Dave first covered here.)
By Natalie Solis
MyFOXDFW.com
The Allen Ice Angels are used to cheering on their favorite team, and now they’re cheering on one of their own as she fights to relearn how to walk and talk after a rare stroke.
Tessa David, 28, is a cheerleader and ice skater. She was even featured on a popular show when she tried out for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.
Since Dec. 1, David’s life has changed dramatically.
“When I got the call saying that Tessa is in the hospital and she’s had a stroke, I was like, ‘There’s no way,’” said Brooklyn Rivera, a friend of David’s. “I said, ‘We dance for four hours straight, three or four times a week.’”
Rivera was an Ice Angel two years ago with David. Rivera still has a hard time believing that David, who was an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader for five years before becoming an Ice Angel, could suddenly have a stroke.
Sarah Wiewel, David’s roommate, says at first, it was a mystery why her usually-bubbly friend wouldn’t get out of bed.
She thought maybe David had gone through a bad breakup. A couple of days went by until finally it clicked.
“Tessa was just sobbing and couldn’t say a word, and at that point, I thought, ‘We need to call 911,’” said Wiewel.
David’s father rushed from Indiana to be by her side, and so have all her friends, filling her hospital room.
“She relearning how to speak, her right side was completely paralyzed.”
Despite the complete 180 her life has taken, her dad says the biggest improvements have happened just recently.
“Her speech therapist yesterday morning walked in, and she said, ‘Hi, Stacy!’ and she just looked at her and said, ‘Hey,’” he said. “She was so excited…I can see now she’s going to make it back, probably 99 percent if not 100 percent.”
David’s father says she was able to move her right hand this week — the biggest improvement so far.
Why David’s stroke happened remains a mystery to doctors.
A fund to help with medical expenses has been set up for David here.
