MADISON- Perseverance and grit easily describe Ty Ransom. The senior member of the Bob Jones competition cheer squad has shown enormous tenacity in coming back from a near death experience to being named team captain for the 2020-2021 Patriots and she has the emotional and physical scars to prove it.

“I call them battle scars,” said Ransom. “They don’t bother me. I feel blessed I defeated death.”

It was mid-July when the 4-foot-11, 103-pound flyer for the cheer squad was on her way to pick up her best friend Olivia Morgan. The summer night was dark and muggy and Ransom was the lone occupant in her black Toyota Camry traveling down Zierdt Road south of Madison Blvd. In an instant she calmly passed out losing control of her car hitting a ditch and a tree nearly head on.

“I woke up in Huntsville Hospital not knowing exactly what happened to me as I have no memory of the accident,” said Ransom. “I’ve had no previous episodes of blacking out. Doctors seem to think I was dehydrated as I had not had any food or water that day.”

The emotional scars have been deep for Ransom, but the outward physical scars remain. She had stitches to her face, lip, elbow and neck and suffered a couple chipped teeth. She had deep bruises to her chest, but luckily no broken bones. She was not wearing a seat belt and slammed into the car’s steering wheel at a violent pace. She was lucky to be alive.

“I had to sit out cheer practice for at least two weeks, but I attended practice to observe what we were doing in our routines,” said Ransom. “I also changed my diet as I now drink lots of water and make sure I eat at least three times a day.”

Ransom is the only child to a Laketa Moore, a single parent who works many long hours and different shifts at the north Huntsville Toyota Plant. Ransom’s parents were divorced eight years ago and to help with the family finances, Ransom works part-time at Insanity Complex in Madison.

“Having my mother as a single parent is really hard at times on both of us. My mother attends most of my competitions when her work schedule allows,” added the 3.0 grade point average student.

Ransom looks to her future of earning a degree as a neo-natal nurse. She’s been accepted at the University of Alabama and may take some courses locally at Calhoun Community College. She also looks back on her past as her experiences have led her on her current path.

She began cheer squad in the seventh grade at Discovery Middle School where she also ran track where she specialized in sprints, but chose to give up that sport to focus on cheerleading for the Patriots as she’s a four-year member as a squad flyer. Her position is extremely important to the squad’s success as she has full control of what is put in the air after being tossed by those at the base of the squad. She was chosen as team captain by head coach Ashley Mitchell-Dowdell for her leadership and never quit attitude.

“I have positive energy and support my teammates and I make sure they have fun at what we do,” added Ransom. “I love cheerleading as it’s a group of girls working together for the common goal. We become a family, bond and combine together our minds to make our squad a success.”

She may be small in stature, but Ransom shows her stand tall talents in many ways all along while carrying prominent scars on her face and shoulder from her close to death experience. “Having my scars doesn’t bother me. I thank God I’m still here to enjoy life and be on this cheer squad that is family,” added Ransom.