Ella was a typical high school student where her days were filled with club and high school soccer, Friday night football, challenging classes, and lots of activity. During practice for an upcoming soccer tournament, Ella suffered a severe ankle sprain. Subsequent examination diagnosed an Aneurysmal Bone Cyst Tumor in her right tibia.  The tumor had destroyed 75% of the bone and was threatening the entire structure of her leg.  Major surgery to remove the tumor was followed by months of recovery and later the regrowth of the tumor along with three other tumors.  Assorted tumor fighting therapies followed, all with the knowledge that her aspirations to play college soccer had vanished.  Ella graduated with her class and moved on to study at Louisiana State University, where she majors in fashion design with a minor in entrepreneurship.

In the spring of her junior year, she studied at the Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence, Italy. She took classes in fashion construction, product development, fashion illustration, and sustainability. She honed her skills in fashion illustration and was thrilled to construct three complete looks for the student fashion show.