Tribute to Heroes: Crystal Ellis

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Two cornea transplants. Nine years at a canine shelter — a lifetime of service – Crystal Ellis calls it simply having enjoyable.

“I really never started volunteering to, you know, fulfill anything. I just thought it sounded fun,” Ellis mentioned.

But in any case this work she by no means thought she’d be known as a hero.

“It does feel awkward to me, like a hero is like somebody who (has a) Purple Heart from the war, you know what I mean?” Ellis mentioned.

She’s been named a hero as a part of the Freedom Festival. To that time, she’s grateful for the heroes inm her

She mentioned she’s grateful to the opposite heroes in her life.

“My dad, you know, he was, he was, he was just amazing,” Ellis mentioned.

Her late father taught her power and the significance of serving to others.

“He always just encouraged me to, you know, give back if you can and do what you have to do,” Ellis mentioned.

But she mentioned he additionally taught her that asking for assist isn’t a weak spot.

And when she wanted it essentially the most, it got here from two organ donors.

“Iowa Donor Network is obviously near and dear to my heart. I’ve had two cornea transplants, so helping them advocate for organ, eye and tissue donation is something that’s really important to me,” Ellis mentioned.

And their sacrifices aren’t taken without any consideration.

“I carried a piece of him in my eye longer than he was even alive on Earth. I mean, he passed when he was about 5. So I had that transplant for about 15 years,” Ellis mentioned.

But her proudest work is at Dogs Forever, a Cedar Rapids nonprofit canine shelter she’s labored for nearly a decade.

It’s a spot the place a ardour for service and a love for canine come collectively.

“They’re just on a different energy level than humans and there’s nothing better than the love of a dog,” Ellis mentioned.

“I mean, we’ve had dogs that have taken years to find homes for, and I just appreciate that about the shelter, that they never give up on a dog,” Ellis mentioned.

Even nonetheless, ardour doesn’t make lots of of hours of volunteer work any simpler.

“I’m like, ‘I don’t think I could do this anymore.’ But but then we have a fun fundraising event and it goes well and we raise money and more people learn about the rescue that didn’t know we existed and it makes it all worth it,” Ellis mentioned.

But she by no means doubts she’s doing the appropriate factor, for the folks and animals in her group.

A drive to serve instilled by her father.

“He was always, when he passed, I never had to question how proud of me he was because he told me all the time,” Ellis mentioned.