The life of a "fit and healthy" 19-year-old girl was saved by her mum after the student suffered a sudden stroke.
There was no warning that the teenager was in any danger before she collapsed at home in Murdishaw, Runcorn , after a shift working in the Evenwood Farm pub, on Wednesday June 19.
The Liverpool Hope University psychology student was awake but unresponsive on the living room sofa, when her mum, Marie Milton, heard the TV was still on and went down to check on her - saving her life.
Elly was rushed to Whiston Hospital and given anti-stroke medication, but was later transferred to The Walton Centre in Aintree where she underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain.
Her sister, 26-year-old Chelsea Holland, told the ECHO: "It has been tough. It's hard to see her struggling at the moment; as her elder sister she's always been my baby.
"But there's no other choice for the family than to be strong, and help her to be strong. There's no other option."
Chelsea said at this stage Elly, who awoke from a coma on June 21, cannot speak and is numb down her right hand side, but is undergoing intense physiotherapy.
Doctors told the family that the stroke was caused by a blood clot on Elly's brain, but efforts are ongoing to find out what led to the clot.
Chelsea said her sister was a popular student who enjoyed trips to Bongo's Bingo in Liverpool and travelling, having recently returned from Mallorca with friends.
The teenager was due to run a Race for Life event in Tatton Park, Cheshire, on Sunday to raise money for cancer charities, inspired by her nan's 12-month battle with breast cancer.
Her placed was taken by her mum Marie, and Chelsea described the event as "very emotional."
Chelsea said: "Elly is a strong-willed, very independent person. She was fit and healthy and it is not like Elly at all to having to have people do everything for her, so that is difficult at the moment.
Elly's manager at the Evenwood Farm pub, Sarah Travis, has begun a fundraising campaign to help the teenager's family with her rehabilitation.
Sarah said: "She's worked for us since she was 16 just after finishing school. She is just a lovely girl and a fantastic member of the team. We have never had any problems with her.
"She always does things in the right way and properly which is not what you would expect from a teenager."
Chelsea added: "We are just dumbfounded that so many people want to help out."
Sarah has arranged a charity event at Evenwood Farm, from 8pm on July 12, featuring a raffle, auction and live music plus an appearance from ITV's This Morning resident doctor Dr Chris Steele.
Tickets are a £5 donation on the door.
Sarah has also set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for Elly's family, with a target of £5,000, which is here .
