Yvette Ellerbe

Our hero is very near and dear to me. I have known this beautiful lady for 31 of my 48 years on this earth, and although there have been a few trials and tribulations along the way, we have weathered the storm and become even closer through each situation. I am talking about Yvette Smith Ellerbe, Daughter-in-Law to Herb Ellerbe, the namesake of Herbies Heroes. Yvette and her family were first introduced to this awful disease when her Aunt, Peggy Sue Faggard from Stone Mountain, Georgia, died from complications of Breast Cancer in 1996. A little less than 10 years later in 2005, her own Mother, Sandra Marie Smith was diagnosed with Breast Cancer as well, and underwent a mastectomy to remove the tumor and potential underlying growths. It was in 2010 that Herb Ellerbe was first diagnosed with Bladder Cancer in which he received treatment in Orange Park to try and eliminate the disease and it eventually was put in to remission. In late 2012 Herb’s Cancer re-appeared with a vengeance, and it was determined he would come to Houston at MD Anderson Cancer Center for treatment. We opened up our home, and our hearts, as any family would do, to do anything and everything we could to help with his treatment. Yvette would battle with Herb to drink more fluids even when he didn’t want to drink anymore as directed by the Doctors, she would drive him to his appointments when he nor my mom were up to driving regardless of the time of day, she would rub his feet with Vaseline when they were so raw from the effects of the Chemotherapy, and the list goes on. Barely over a year of Herb’s passing, in Nov. 2014, her Mother, Sandra Marie Smith was informed her Cancer had returned and Yvette immediately boarded a plane from Houston, for Florida, to go help and support her Mother through this 2nd round of treatment. Unfortunately, the Cancer was also in her spine this time, and although they tried desperately to control it, her body was unable to handle anymore Chemotherapy, and eventually was placed in Hospice Care. Yvette was the rock of the Smith household and took on many roles to help keep everyone calm and strong throughout Sandy’s final days. It takes a special person to do everything that she has done for not only her family, but also others in need, and for these reasons, it is no secret why Mrs. Yvette Smith Ellerbe is our Herbies Hero.