Ally Ratto’s journey is defined by resilience, courage, and an unrelenting spirit. From her first day on campus in fall 2023, Ally was thrust into balancing the overwhelming responsibilities of caregiving, working, and excelling as a college athlete. At just 18 years old, she found herself working multiple jobs to help pay bills while taking care of her mother, who was battling breast cancer. Her mother’s condition was further complicated by severe medical issues, including sepsis, pulmonary embolisms, and heart failure, leaving Ally to shoulder these responsibilities on her own after her father and siblings left home.

Despite missing much of her summer training for water polo, Ally leaned on her coach, teammates, and the school community, who provided emotional, logistical, and financial support. Counseling became a turning point, offering Ally the tools to manage the anxiety and depression she had carried since high school.

Ally faced another devastating blow during her freshman campaign when her teammate, Kayla Crespin, was killed in a car accident just before the conference championships. The grief of losing a close friend, combined with her mother’s health struggles, felt insurmountable, yet Ally found strength in her team, who came together not only to grieve but to honor Kayla’s memory. It was then that Ally reconnected with a childhood friend on the Delta baseball team, who understood her grief as he, too, had lost a beloved teammate. Not only did he understand her grief, but he also offered to assist with her mother’s care to help her balance school, family, and water polo.

Now, a year after Kayla’s passing, Ally has grown stronger. She has been able to effectively manage her anxiety symptoms, and draws strength from her teammates, who have become a source of collective healing. With her mother one-year cancer-free, Ally continues to lead her water polo team and excel in the classroom.

“I encourage everyone to lean on their support system and remember you don’t need to go through it alone,” said Ally. “I learned that progress is not always linear; some days will be harder than others, and that’s okay. Healing is a process. Trust that you’ll get better, and you’ll get out of the dark times.”