Alessia Hassell is not like most 10-year-olds.

In her short life, she’s overcome more hardships than most would experience in a lifetime.

At age 5, Hassell was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and began treatment. The chemotherapy, however, damaged her heart over the years and she was subsequently diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

“That was one of the worst experiences of my life,” mother Shontae Hassell said of the cancer diagnosis. “She had her good days, and she had her bad days.”

Alessia Hassell was placed on the heart transplant list, then taken off because of her LVAD, a device she was given to help the left side of her heart. In March, she and her mother got another call saying she was back on the list, and three months later, she got the long-awaited call about a donor heart.

The Hassells went to Durham for the heart transplant, and Alessia recovered from the intense operation for more than a month.

On Thursday, Alessia was able to return home to Washington. With a helicopter escort out of Durham, and then a motorcycle and police escort through Washington, a large crowd gathered outside of Vidant Beaufort Hospital to welcome her back.

Her mother’s coworkers from the hospital came out for support, as well as representatives from Washington Pediatrics, Community Care Plan, Washington Police Department and Beaufort County Schools, among others.

Although Alessia’s immune system defense is low, she was able to step out of the car for a few minutes to see her supporters, and her face showed her visibly overwhelmed with all of the support.

“It’s been a wonderful day,” Shontae Hassell said with tears in her eyes.

It’s been a long road for the family, and it isn’t over yet. But Shontae Hassell said she is grateful for how the community has gathered around them.

“It’s so amazing,” she said. “I just thank everybody for all of the support.”

The community involvement has been strong from the beginning, starting soon after her initial cancer diagnosis.

Elizabeth Picone, a guidance counselor at Eastern Elementary School, said she remembers Alessia being diagnosed soon after she started kindergarten.

Picone said the school rallied around her, working to get her home schooling and have teachers come to visit her at home.

“She just had so much courage,” she said. “They were always joyful, and ‘we’re going to get through this.’”

John Cotten Tayloe Principal Bubs Carson said he has seen an entire school system “adopt” Alessia, and he has also been impressed with the family’s positive attitude through it all.

“She said, ‘Mr. Carson, I’m waiting on the heart call,’” he recalled. “It has been a huge commitment and a huge cooperation. … I think everybody feels like Alessia is a part of their family.”

Carson said she has officially graduated from the school and is expected to move on to fourth grade at John Small Elementary in the fall.

The Hassells remain positive and hopeful for the future, and most importantly, they are thankful. For now, Alessia has to wait for her immune system to build up strength, and doctors will continue to monitor her progress.

“She’s a special person,” Shontae Hassell said. “I just feel like she’s going to do great things.”