A mum who was diagnosed with cancer has described how her autistic daughter found a 'saving grace' by losing six stone at a gym. Tracey Morris, 51, from Clifton, who was diagnosed with terminal stage-four pancreatic cancer in June 2020, has spoken of how her 23-year-old daughter Ellie has found solace at the gym to cope with her mum's illness.
Ellie, who has autism and also has a condition which means she does not know when she is full, was 28st 7lb on October 2021. But Tracey has said her eldest daughter found her "saving grace" on October 4 when she started going to a local gym, which helped with her sorrow over her mum's illness. She even called herself Ellie Fury after heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and gets called it by strangers in the street showing their support.
Tracey, who used to work at Birds, said: "It was a massive shock when I was diagnosed and we were devastated. Ellie is autistic and she has also suffered all her life with her weight - because her brain doesn't tell her when she's full so it's really been hard to control her weight.
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"And obviously through lockdown and me getting cancer and everything, food was her best friend and helped her cope. But one day she came into my bedroom and said 'mum I'm going to start at the gym'
"We never made it an issue or mentioned it but I rang my friend who owns Amari's Universe in Clifton and that was the start of her journey. I've never seen her so happy her confidence is absolutely through the roof, I can't express how much the guys down there have helped with her autism and the mental stress of her situation.
"The moment she walked through that door her life changed forever. I've never seen Ellie so happy. Obviously she still struggles with some things, but she can go down there and she gets rid of her frustrations about how life can be cruel. It's been her saving grace, it's done wonders."
"Ellie's so scared of losing me, which is hard for me, because I don't want to lose her. I won't for a long time. But when she goes down there they help her when she's upset.
"She was 28st 7lb in October, now she goes to the gym six days a week. She's lost six stone over the last seven months.
"Autism is hard enough itself never mind going through seeing your mum unwell. It has been her strength throughout all of that."
During her gym visits and boxing training, Ellie gave herself the nickname Ellie Fury, after her sporting idol boxer Tyson Fury. Ellie said: "I love it. It's really helped me with everything.
"It helps me escape it, if I just do something at the gym it pushes me out of my boundaries. I look forward it every morning.
"I do my little circuits and boxing and then come home. I really love it."
Tracey said her daughter had become famous within Clifton, with people shouting messages of support from cars. She also praised those who had helped Ellie and expressed her wish to see her daughter's idol show his support.
"She's become like a little celebrity in Clifton," she explained. "I'm quite well known in Clifton, born and bred - when I was poorly Clifton was amazing to me and paid for our wedding it was magically.
"But now it's not Tracey Morris anymore its 'Ey up Ellie Fury' shouted out of their cars and people that don't know her have messaged her from all over England.
"I've also being trying to get in contact with Tyson Fury because he's her idol. She's had some lovely messages from other boxers so I'm just hoping and praying he will see it."
Tracey added: "Ellie is not in education and doesn't work as she's vulnerable but this has given her a purpose in life I think. The last seven months with going to the gym, she's getting more independence with the help of Liam, Maj her boxing trainer and Bryn - without them I don't think she would be who she is today.
