LI Teen’s Family Plan 5K To Raise Awareness About Mental Illness

PATCHOGUE, NY—After Ellyana Torre she died unexpectedly last summer, her family wanted to be remembered, so they formed a non-profit foundation to honor her legacy by helping others struggling with mental health issues.

The Elly CARES Project, Inc., which started with GoFundMe fundraising efforts, plans to hold the first-ever “Stomp the Stigma 5K” commemorative walk/run at Shorefront Park in Patchogue on May 28. The event starts at 9 am

DeLaTorre’s mother, Eileen of Patchogue, said her family is thankful they were approved for their first fundraiser.

“May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so it will be a great time for the community to show support for those struggling with mental illness and help reduce the stigma that surrounds it,” he added.

DeLaTorre’s 18-year-old daughter was an empathetic person who soaked up other people’s emotions like a sponge. She helped friends through very difficult times and often carried the burden of her problems in silence as she struggled with her own mental health.

After Ellyana was found dead in her sleep on August 5, DeLaTorre, as well as her husband, Ozzy, and younger brother, Jevani, had to mourn her loss, but while they did so, they devised a way to make their legacy of love . and compassion would continue in advocacy for mental health, a topic many people don’t know enough about.

She was an incredible athlete and considered a high achiever on the autism spectrum, but sometimes her obsessive-compulsive disorder made it difficult for the Patchogue-Medford graduate to get through the day.

“Even though she dealt with all of this, she was never ashamed of it,” DeLaTorre told Patch in August. “I think she just didn’t want to draw attention to herself because she was always trying to help everyone else.”

“She just soaked up everyone’s problems, so aside from what she was going through, she also took on everyone else’s, so she just…helped a lot of people in the community,” DeLaTorre added.

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His family has established a memorial scholarship fund for the Patchogue-Medford school district, and they also have plans to host events to “raise community awareness about people living with mental health issues and encourage community involvement to help.” to the less fortunate, DeLaTorre said.

To register for the 2022 Stomp the Stigma 5K Run/Run, click here. For more information about the DeLaTorres nonprofit organization, visit www.ellyCARESproject.org.

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