Keeping a promise

BELLEVUE — When Luellyn "Lue" Howland walked across the graduation stage on Friday, May 29, she fulfilled a sacred vow. The milestone marked the completion of her high school career at Bellevue High School and the realization of a promise made to her father, Russell "Russ" Howland, before his passing. For the Bellevue native, the moment brought an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, peace and deep pride. "Graduating from high school was something I promised my dad I would do before he passed away," Luellyn said. "So to be fulfilling that promise of graduating high school gives me this sense of accomplishment. I hope my dad is proud that I kept my promise to him." The legacy of her superheroes Howland navigated her teenage years through the experience of profound loss, losing both her brother and her father. Her brother, Holton "Holt" Howland, passed away at age 11 on Oct. 1, 2016, from undiagnosed pancreatitis. At the time, Luellyn was just 9 years old. "It was something I couldn't even comprehend at the time," she said. "He was and always will be my best friend. My brother was my Batman and always had my back." To keep his memory alive, Bellevue Schools dedicated a friendship bench in his honor. "The Bellevue school district was amazing and made sure to keep my brother's memory alive by dedicating a bench in his name that sits at the entryway of the Bellevue Middle School," Luellyn said. "It meant a lot. It showed that everyone supported us." On May 13, 2024, her father passed away at home at age 52 following a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Pontiac, Michigan, to Merle and Teet Howland, Russ was a beloved member of the Bellevue community and worked at Mitsubishi Chemical. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing and sitting outside with a cold drink while listening to bluegrass music, which always sparked great conversations. "My dad went through lots of hardships in his life too," Luellyn said. "He never made it past the ninth grade but he was the smartest man I'll ever know. He was always there to help me fix or work on projects. He was the best cook and he was always told by me that he should've been a chef. He was my Superman." Russ was legendary for his cooking, especially his signature chili and his famous "heart attack" baked beans, which featured two pounds of bacon. His passing arrived just two days before what would have been his and his wife Jessica's 18th wedding anniversary. The lasting power of their bond continues to inspire their daughter. "They were truly each other's best friends and the loves of each other's lives," Luellyn said. "Watching the relationship they shared showed me what genuine love should look like, and it's something I hope to have one day myself. She continued: "I think their marriage can be a reminder that even through loss, the love people share can leave a lasting impact. For anyone who may be feeling hopeless, just know that meaningful, lifelong connections do exist and can continue to inspire others long after someone is gone." Despite these challenges, she chooses to focus on their vibrant lives, their strength and the joy they brought to everyone around them. Processing grief through creative expression To handle the emotional weight of her losses, Howland looked for a creative anchor. At the beginning of her senior year, a friend suggested she try sketching to help channel her thoughts and decompress. "I just like, one day, picked a picture and I just started drawing it, and it was actually okay, so I just kept going with it," Luellyn said. "Through my sketches, I've found that I can put what I can't make into words on paper and make it mine. My artwork has helped me express myself and the emotions that I go through every day while coping with the loss of my dad and brother." Her artistic talent quickly caught the attention of the faculty at Bellevue High School. School counselor Brianna Nuhfer witnessed her transformation firsthand. "I had the pleasure to be Lue's counselor for her senior year, and in just this short time, I have witnessed so much growth in her," Nuhfer said. "One thing that I will always remember about Lue is how she discovered her love for art. She has shared several of her art pieces with me, and each one tells such a beautiful story — some happy, some emotional, but all incredibly beautiful and inspiring." Beyond sketching, Luellyn relaxes by doing nails, cooking and diving into a wide variety of music. A community of support Luellyn attributes much of her strength to a dedicated support network inside and outside of school. Her mother, Jessica Howland, her grandparents and uncles remain her bedrock. In the community, her best friend, Jenna Bullion, provided an invaluable bond of empathy. Bullion, who lost her own father to cancer in the seventh grade, stood by Luellyn's side as a constant pillar of strength. At school, Luellyn found a welcoming sanctuary in the classroom of science teacher Amy Good, who consistently supported her through tough days. Luellyn also stayed highly active in the school community, participating in choir, the Sources of Strength group, a senior leadership class and cheerleading, which she enjoyed from fifth through 10th grade. "Cheerleading helped me the most," she said. "I feel like the community helped me. I got my mind off things. I practiced working out and getting the stress out." Her quiet determination left a lasting impression on the entire school district. "Lue has shown remarkable resilience and strength to overcome the adversities she has faced through the devastating loss of both her brother and her dad," Bellevue High School principal Nate Artino said. "She is a quiet young lady who has shown an amazing ability to persevere, which has been very noticeable to both our staff and her classmates. Her steadiness to keep pushing forward has been inspirational." Looking to the future With her diploma proudly in hand, Luellyn plans to enter the workforce, travel to visit family in Michigan and Columbus and take time to chart her long-term career path. She hopes to eventually turn her artistic passion into a professional pursuit, potentially as a tattoo artist. "Right now, I just want to see and work but also explore my options," she said. "I want to enjoy what I do, so I really want to take my time to figure out what I want to do." Her journey offers a powerful, uplifting message of hope and survival for anyone enduring personal tragedy. "I just learned that life was short and that it's precious," Luellyn said. "There's a lot of love, you just have to keep on going."