Page 63 - Tracy Anderson Magazine – Summer 2020

ROUTES OF HOPE

A conversation between brother and sister, by Anneclaire Nelson.

One of the great gifts of my life are the relationships I’ve college studying theater and I moved to Los Angeles to
been able to create. start my dance career. When he finished graduate school,
however, he moved to L.A., and from then on we’ve
I’ve been fortunate to travel in lots of different circles. I been inseparable.
grew up in South Carolina, and when I was 19 years old
I moved to Los Angeles. From there, I landed in New He’s always been there for me when I needed him.
York City, where I eventually joined the Tracy Ander- When he moved to NYC, I followed shortly after. I slept
son family. This journey has led me to Las Vegas, the on his couch, he helped me get jobs, and he helped me
Hamptons, and now South Flor- move many times. (In New York
ida, where I’ve been traveling City. Yeah, I still owe him for
between Miami and Palm Beach that!) The common thread has
and lots of places in between. been our ability to laugh and
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting preserve our family unit as we
people from all over the world both forged our own paths in
and from many different walks NYC.
of life. The more people I meet,
the more I realize how special I’ve always tried to be there for
we all are. Everyone has a story. him, too, whether it’s through
Everyone has a journey. Every- movement, or picking out shoes,
one has an experience that can or just as an ear to listen when
inspire us in some way. he needed one. Davey is not
only my brother, he’s my best
Whether in person or video, one friend. He’s also someone I look
of the great joys of my life is to up to artistically. Because no
connect with people through matter what obstacle is placed in
movement. Of all my relation- his way, he’s always pursued his
ships, the ones I cherish the love of writing and performing.
most are with my three siblings. That has always given me hope.
My siblings are my best friends.
My youngest sister, Rachel, was So in 2017, when I got the call
my roommate for five years that Davey had been diagnosed
in Brooklyn. My other sister, with stage 4 colon cancer, it was
Valerie, makes me laugh harder a shock to my world. I felt like I
than anyone in the world, and couldn’t make sense of life. It’s
is the best mom to my precious been one of the hardest things
nephew Patrick. And then there I’ve experienced, watching him
is my brother, David. Davey to the people who know go through treatments without any way to help him.
him best. He is the oldest and the only boy. Over the past three years he has had more than 30
rounds of chemotherapy, four rounds of radiation, and
Davey and I have always had a special relationship. As is currently on a Phase 2 clinical trial at the Winship
the two older siblings, we called ourselves “the First Fam- Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta.
ily.” Our adventures started right away. When I was 9
weeks old, and Davey was almost 4, our family moved to During this time, we’ve grown even closer. It’s been
Saudi Arabia. We traveled the world as young children, inspiring to watch him face this disease with bravery
and were exposed to the arts at a young age. We were and humor. And art. Davey is a writer, and he has kept
musical-theater kids, and as we got older we each chose a a blog over the past three years of living life in the face
focus. Davey went with theater, I went with dance. of cancer. He has turned this blog into his newest solo
show, Stages, and now he has turned it into a book. A
We drifted apart, as young adults often do. He was in book called Hope in the Time of Chemo.

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