The Ripple Effect
By: Michelle Horton
Alysia Nicholle Moore, more commonly known as Ally Moore, was a sold-out Christian, a loving friend, and a beautiful family member. Ally was born on October 6, 2004, in Texarkana and is described by her father, Joseph Moore, as the perfect baby. “She was the baby that never cried and was always content. Some of my earliest memories with Ally are singing to her to sleep every night. She was also an intelligent child, catching onto things very well. I could tell there was something special about Ally, that she would be a world-changer and could pretty much accomplish anything,” Joseph says.
Ally was very unique and the center of attention. Of course, this sparked some sibling rivalry, but there was no doubt that Ally loved them dearly.
Ally’s younger years were filled with gymnastics and competition cheer with North East Texas Elite Gymnastics, Dance & Cheer. “I remember when Ally would hold my hands and use her feet to climb up my body and flip over. That is how we started teaching her to tumble. That is one of my favorite memories with her,” Ally’s father says. Everything that Ally decided to do, she excelled at it with her go-getter attitude. “One time, I took Ally and her sisters to Magic Springs, and there was an attraction that emulated surfing. She was the type of kid who could figure it out and have it down the first try. She was good at everything!”
Ally began schooling at Morris Elementary, excelling in her grades, then onto Texas Middle School, and finished her high school career at Texas High School, where she graduated in 2023. Cheerleading was everything to Ally during her high school years. “She was great at it! I enjoyed watching her cheer at various games!” her father adds.
Joseph clearly remembers teaching Ally to drive. “I live in the country, and Ally came to visit eight years ago. I remember her learning to drive in my Kia Soul. She was excited about driving and was so focused. I would stare at her and tell her how great of a job she was doing. Anything she did, she wanted to do the best, including driving,” Joseph says.
Ally held an entrepreneurial and creative spirit. “In elementary school, she started a shoe company. Ally and her friend bedazzled and dyed white shoes. She was independently business-minded. Later, she had a golden retriever, Lottie Mae, who inspired her to open her own small business, L&M Bandanas.”
Ally was a friend who would go above and beyond for the ones she loved. It did not matter what Ally had going on in her life; she always placed her friends before her personal ambitions. “She made sure to console her friends who were down or having a hard time. She was there to walk through life with them and encourage them along the way,” Joseph says. “Ally never met a stranger; she was a person who would make friends in any environment and uplift anyone and everyone. She was the life of the party and a sense of security.” Ally’s friends describe her as a person who was there for everyone. Ally touched so many lives – through school, her time as a Brookhill counselor, her sporting career, and beyond – she created a ripple effect.
God was everything to Ally – He was first and foremost in her life. Her father says, “She definitely believed in redeemed salvation through Jesus Christ. She was raised that way, and it was something she carried. She had a strong identity in Christ. Ally was good about sharing her faith with her friends and on social media. She was not ashamed of her faith and never withdrew from it.”
After high school, Ally began her college studies at Arkansas State University. A member of the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, Ally studied psychology with the dream of helping special needs children. Naturally, she also cheered with the A-State Spirit Squads, and her teammates reflected on how they were forever touched and impacted by Ally’s life.
What may have seemed like a perfect life was only part of the story. She faced struggles at Arkansas State and needed to return to Texarkana after the spring semester. There were moments of isolation, and sometimes, they overwhelmed Ally’s joy. On February 7, 2025, Ally Moore took her own life. She struggled silently while having so many positive accomplishments in her life. One may never fully understand the true reason why this unfortunate event occurred but by pulling back the layers, her father hopes one person can be helped through Ally’s legacy. “The enemy wants to rob us of our joy by deception. He makes us think we are only defined by our mistakes and failures. I want to encourage everyone to lean into the pain of their current situation because the only way to get past a hard time is to go through the valley (Psalm 23:4),” Joseph says. “So many kids, just like Ally, are struggling silently. Social media is a pressure of its own – seeing all the highlights of people’s lives left Ally feeling like she was not living up to being the best. Everyone gives their highlights; they never display their struggles in life on there. Ally was also a go-getter and perfectionist, and the weight of school and the thought of not being able to return to school created a feeling of despair that stole her hope of the future that she had excitedly dreamed of and worked hard for. That burden of despair can lead us into a mental state of tunnel vision and the illusion of being stuck where we are forever without hope of another outcome.”
Joseph’s wishes today are for everyone to be the example Ally set when it came to being kind to everyone. “You never know what the person across from you is dealing with or going through. Your kindness could affect the trajectory of their life. A kind word, a smile, a ‘How can I help you?’ could change someone’s path. Unfortunately, in this culture, we pass by others without ever saying hi. Let’s stop and, just like Ally, realize that you can help someone, and it doesn’t have to be on a large scale. Do something small and be the ripple effect,” Joseph says. “The number of people that showed up at Ally’s funeral was amazing and a beautiful testament to the lives she touched on this earth. Brookhill counselors, some of whom she had not even met, came. That shows Ally’s ripple effect as a person. It speaks volumes.”
Joseph believes that Ally would want others to seek help when they feel stuck in life. Daryl Mitchell, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the private practice of psychotherapy, provided insight into suicidal feelings and advice for those who may be facing a similar situation or know someone. Daryl has a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Social Work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He has taught at the university level and has counseled people of all ages in inpatient and outpatient settings.
“Everyone has a narrative about ourselves that we live by. If something goes terribly wrong with that narrative, then suicide is a thought that comes to us. Most people bat it away, but then other times, the threat to ourselves is more serious. Anybody and everybody is at risk for suicide. You can never know how someone thinks or feels about themselves, and it can change really fast,” Daryl says.
Many times, when a person commits suicide, they do not let anyone know. The ones who talk about suicide are asking for help from their friends or family. Daryl believes you must take every conversation seriously and not gloss it over. “Don’t say, ‘Oh, you’re ok, everybody loves you, you’re so great.’ That may not be what the person is feeling or thinking. You have to actually ask them, ‘What’s happening? How are you doing? Have you had any disappointments lately?’” Daryl says.
“Risk factors leading to suicide can include substance abuse, big disruptions in the family like divorce or separation, financial losses, and the death of someone close, especially if the death was from a suicide,” Daryl says. “Some warning signs that someone may be at risk for committing suicide include them talking about the future without them in it and people who start giving away their things. Also, if they have been depressed and all of a sudden, they are happy about everything, that is a warning sign. It may be that they have been struggling with the decision to end their life, and now they’ve decided to go through with the action.”
If you believe someone you know is struggling with suicide, the best plan of action is to get them to talk about how they feel, how they see themselves, and what they believe about their life and how it is going. Daryl said to help them see positive attributes and be more hopeful. “Hope is the opposite of depression. If you want to know how to cure depression, it is through hope. A person has to have hope – even the Bible says that. ‘Sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.’ Encourage that person to re-think how they are thinking about themselves and their life. Suicide occurs when someone has decided the narrative of their life is false, not working, hopeless, or cannot get better.”
Daryl also encourages younger people to bring in a trusted adult, a parent, a teen pastor at church, or a school counselor. “Let your friend know how much you love and care for them, and ask for their consent to bring in a trusted adult to help with the situation. Offer to go with your friend and have the tough conversation,” Daryl says. “Do not ever be embarrassed to ask your friend if they are suicidal or have had those thoughts come to their mind.”
Even though having these types of conversations is very uncomfortable, it is worth it. Daryl explains, “I am 63 and cannot believe the pressure on our young people. They are scrutinized and judged – everyone watches every single move they make. If I wanted to play sports one year and skip the next, no one said anything. The pressure also comes academically. There is so much pressure to be perfect, have your grades perfect, and have your social life perfect – it is as if they don’t have room to make mistakes. I’m not just thinking about high school kids, but also young adults, like Ally Moore.”
Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Even if your life is not living up to the narrative you have set forth in your head, you are still loved and wanted. Give yourself grace when life’s mistakes happen, realize you are not alone, and the pain you are currently coping with can be overcome with help.
It is important to note that thoughts and actions are two different things—your suicidal thoughts do not have to become a reality. There is no deadline; no one’s pushing you to act on these thoughts immediately.
Wait.
Wait and put some distance between your suicidal thoughts and suicidal actions.
Find someone you trust and let them know how bad things are. Do not let fear, shame, or embarrassment prevent you from seeking help. If the first person you reach out to doesn’t seem to understand, try someone else.
