SEYMOUR, Tenn. — The stands were packed Monday night at Seymour High School's volleyball games. While people cheered for their favorite team, they were also rallying behind a 6-year-old facing a bigger opponent — brain cancer.
They wore gold to show their support of the Ogle family and of Jolie Ogle. She was diagnosed with brain cancer and since her diagnosis, she and her family have become Seymour celebrities. Members of the community said even if Jolie is small, she has the aura of a star.
"She has quite the personality, a pretty large personality," said Todd Ogle, Jolie's father.
"She's kind of, like, she's kind of a little celebrity around here. Even before this, she's really into cheerleading and dance," said Ogle.
Doctors removed a mass from her head in August. On Monday, the community rallied to support her on the road to recovery.
"I think the worst part, at least for me, was the unknown and, you know, everything leading up to the surgery," said Ogle.
The Seymour community is familiar with battles against childhood cancer, and what it takes to recover. When Abby Shehan Britt was 17 years old, she won her battle against non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Eight years later, she returned to the community she calls home to help another child fight cancer.
"We've known Abby for a long time," said Ogle. "Gosh, I guess it's been, like, eight years now since we were here doing the same thing for her. And he never dreamed that we're doing this for my kid."
"His family was super great to me and my family the whole time that I was sick," said Britt. "So I really try to be there for them and support them, through it all.
Both Abby and Jolie became examples of the Seymour community coming together to support each other through the toughest battles.
Seymour volleyball coach Jason Jacklet says seeing Jolie's attitude during her battle is an inspiration to his student-athletes.
"It's not just a one-day, or one-month, or one-year trip. It's going to be a journey for the rest of her life. And seeing her struggle and seeing her attitude during this struggle. We can use that to inspire us as a team," said Jacklet.
For Jolie's family, they hope she will one day be able to return the favor to a child in need.
"My thought, and my hope, and prayer is that, you know, eight or ten years from now, Jolie might be here doing the same thing for somebody else, you know?" said Ogle.