Alessandria Mari Allen

Alessandria Allen, 21 year old resident of Berryville Virginia & former resident of Rigby Idaho, passed away Thursday April 30, 2020 at Children’s National Hospital in Washington D.C. after 6 months of fighting through a complicated bone marrow transplant.

Alessandria Mari Allen was born on March 9th, 1999 in Logan Utah the first child of Travis Lee Allen (Malad, Idaho) and Cajsa (Boyle) Allen (Rigby, Idaho). Alessandria grew up in Logan, Utah Billings, Montana Blackfoot Idaho, Gilbert Arizona, and Rigby & Salmon Idaho. She attended high school as part of the Class of 2017 at Rigby High School and Salmon High School, but had to complete her education through home school and online courses due to persistent health problems.

Alessandria was born with a primary immune deficiency, which she bravely battled throughout her life. As she grew up she collected diagnosis after diagnosis - adrenal insufficiency, vitiligo, alopecia, thyroid problems, prolonged QT syndrome - and the list kept growing. Her medical conditions were overwhelming. Her courage, strength, and endurance were an inspiration to all that knew her, but she desperately sought a future free from constant illness, hospitalizations, infusions and a slew of medications barely able to keep her going.

Alessandria loved to read and was a talented writer, breathing life into characters that got to live out the experiences and adventures that she missed out on because of her health. She wrote many stories on the Wattpad app and hoped to pursue a career as an author. Illness took a lot from her, but she fought for what was important. She was a true warrior. Everyone who knew her will remember her strength, endurance, faith, kindness, and sense of humor.

Alessandria was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, attending meetings of the Berryville Ward with her family, as well as young single adult activities in the area. She also made some good friends in the young single adult ward in Washington D.C. during her transplant. Faith and friendship were sources of strength and comfort to her throughout her life.

Doctors at Children’s National Hospital offered her a chance at a healthier future in 2019 and she began preparing for a bone marrow transplant. Transplants had only been attempted on a limited number of patients with Alessandria’s genetic condition (NFKB2 insufficiency), and primarily in European countries, but the doctor’s thought Alessandria was a good candidate. Her two youngest brothers were both good matches for her, and her 11 year old brother Chase bravely agreed to be her donor. The bone marrow transplant took place on October 30, 2019 and was largely successful. Unfortunately over the following months she had complications that prolonged her time in the hospital and weakened her poor body. After 5 1/2 months in the hospital she was able to come home for almost two weeks & was grateful to spend Easter with her family. The next morning she spiked a fever and had to be admitted back into the hospital. She was beset by bacterial and viral infections which ravaged her body and caused injury to her brain. She fought until her last breath, but her lifelong battle came to an end on the night of April 30, 2020 and now she is finally at peace.

She is survived by her parents Travis & Cajsa Allen of Berryville Virginia, her three sweet brothers Taylor (18), Chase (11), and Hunter (3); grandparents Elda Laine (Archibald) Allen & John ElRay Allen (of Malad, Idaho); grandmother Vicki (Nelson) Boyle (of Rigby, Idaho); and grandmother Susan Hunter (of Sandy, Utah). She was preceded in death by two grandfathers, Gene Roy Boyle & Paul Percy Hunter.

Alessandria will be laid to rest at Rigby Pioneer Cemetery following a graveside service at 12 noon, Saturday, May 9, 2020. Services are under the care of Eckersell Funeral Home in Rigby. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com