Daughter's dreams inspire family battling to cope without her

Ashley Morrison's parents think the best way to remember her is to keep doing the things she would have wanted to do.

By JAMAL THALJI

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 21, 2001

ORLANDO -- Linda Morrison thought they could use some cheering up.

Her daughter, Ashley, was ill with mononucleosis and unable to join her teammates on the Ridgewood basketball squad. Ashley's boyfriend, Mike Cassagnol, was nursing a broken ankle that prematurely ended his senior season of football with the Rams.

Both always were at Ashley's house, watching movies and Orlando Magic games, drawing plans for the future when they would both be healthier.

So her mother wrote to the Magic, explaining all of Ashley's and Mike's athletic accomplishments and how a trip to see a game would cheer them up.

The day the Magic called back, her daughter was at All-Children's Hospital. Days later, on Dec. 12, Ashley passed away at the age of 16 after contracting encephalitis.

On Jan.13, Bob and Linda Morrison took the Magic up on their offer of tickets, attending Saturday's game against the Golden State Warriors at the TD Waterhouse Centre. They brought Ashley's younger sister, Caitlin, and Cassagnol with them to watch Orlando's 111-94 victory.

"Ashley's spirit is in here, I'm sure," her mother said.

It's the best way to remember Ashley, they believe. To keep on doing the things she would have wanted to do.

It has been anything but easy. The Morrisons continue to attend Ridgewood boys and girls basketball games. They are involved, and they like having Cassagnol around.

"He's just an unassuming, quiet guy," Linda said. "He wanted to be here for her.

"The two of them used to sit at home and watch the Magic together. They'd take the plays apart just for fun. It was something they could both do together.

"They would cheer each other up," Linda said. "They would talk about the things they would do. They made plans. They said something good would come of this.

"Obviously we're still waiting to see if something good will come of it. We haven't see anything yet."

As guests of the NBA team, the family came down to the floor where the Magic players were accessible and friendly. Nearly everyone posed for pictures with Caitlin and Michael, and signed Caitlin's autograph book.

"It was just a nice gesture on the Magic's part," Bob said. "We sent a check with the letter and they refused to accept it.

"We're really grateful, not just to the Magic, but for everything everyone has done for us."

Cassagnol said he remembers when he and Ashley dreamed of better days.

"We had a lot of plans," Cassagnol said. "We were going to see the Magic. We were going to go to New York to visit (her relatives). I had a bet with her. My friend and I were going to beat her and her friend in a pickup game."

Which is why Cassagnol is a frequent visitor to the Morrison home.

"We still have plans," he said, only now with Ashley's parents. "I visit them all the time. All her friends stop by, just to show our support."

The family recounted all of their memories of Ashley, her interests, the sports she played, the school television broadcasts she worked on.

"She was a bit of a ham," her father said.

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