Sep 16, 2024

Serving Up Determination: Gabby Orlet's Inspiring Volleyball Comeback

The Volleyball Hair Tie stands for inspiration. TIY is more than just a more effective hair accessory. Our mission is to inspire women athletes to play at their best by creating high-quality, performance-enhancing hair accessories that are designed to stay put during the toughest games.

Tough is one word that describes Gabby Orlet. Others are inspiring, resilient, determined, and strong. Andrea Nucete-Elliott, CEO of TIY Products, recently had the privilege of sitting down with Gabby in a special interview to hear her story.

You can watch the full interview here: TIY Interview with Gabby Orlet

Gabby Orlet's Volleyball Journey

Gabby Orlet just celebrated her 18th birthday. From the St. Louis area, she is the youngest of four siblings in a close-knit family. Gabby's mother, Lisa Orlet, has been coaching volleyball as long as Gabby can remember at the college, club, and high school levels.

Gabby's father, Jimmy Orlet, owns The Abbey, an espresso bar and restaurant in Belleville, Illinois.

The whole Orlet family was practically raised in the gym, and Gabby loved sports from a young age. She played soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Drawn to the competitive nature and the team atmosphere of volleyball, it became her primary focus and formed her dream of playing Division 1 in college.

A Life-Changing and Career Altering Injury

At just 14 years old in 8th grade, Gabby landed from a jump and felt pain like she had never experienced before in her young life. Thinking it was just a particularly bad sprain, she tried to play on, but the pain was too intense even for someone with her determination.

Initially diagnosed with a simple fracture of her vertebrae, within three days she was partially paralyzed from the waist down. It wasn't a fracture, it was a tumor pressing against her spine.

"And when I was in 8th grade, I ended up getting what I thought was an injury right before I went to a qualifier."

An emergency surgery saved her spine, removed the tumor, and saved her ability to walk. The biopsy revealed a benign giant cell tumor, but the ordeal was far from over. Gabby had to relearn basic motor skills, walking, and dressing herself. While it was the least of her doctors' concerns whether she would ever play sports again, Gabby refused to let cancer take her passion away.

8 months later she was allowed to play again and showed everyone that no cancer could stop her from doing what she loved.

Cancer Can't Keep Gabby Orlet Down

In March 2022, less than a year after her life-saving surgery, Gabby fell on the court and couldn't breathe. Scans revealed that she had new spots on her lungs and spine in a millions-to-one-odds recurrence.

"I had spots that were similar to a sarcoma, which they are not able to kill because they don't have a cure strong enough yet."

Another surgery wasn't an option in the second case, so doctors decided on an unprecedented weekly chemotherapy. Later this was reduced to monthly, but if you've ever gone through this, it's enough to knock anyone down on the ground.

Despite the diagnosis and treatment, Gabby continued to play volleyball. She even played in qualifiers the weekend after her diagnosis. She learned how to manage her treatments while still playing volleyball, even if she couldn't perform at 100%. Dealing with this situation for two years, she has learned to balance her treatment with her volleyball schedule and maintain a positive attitude throughout.

That's what we at TIY call resilience!

A Hair Tie for "Real" Volleyball Players

Gabby took notice of TIY hair ties at a University of Texas game, and started seeing them everywhere at tournaments. She observed that they were becoming a staple in volleyball and even worn by Olympians.

The first time Gabby tried a TIY hair tie, she was "hooked" 🤘. Thick and comfortable, they held her hair all day. As she started wearing them regularly, they gave her a sense of belonging, making her feel like a "real volleyball player" and part of a community.

"I feel a lot more confident when I wear [TIY]."

Gabby associates TIY with determination, which aligns with her personal motto of "beat the odds". To her, it's a symbol of not giving up and fighting back against all challenges to do what you love. They're a way to stand out, stay secure, and express herself on and off the court.

Watch Out For Gabby Orlet!

Gabby's story is a powerful testament to the perseverance of a true athlete, the transformative power of sports, and how the human spirit won't quit. Her story resonates with us because her determination to stay up even when life knocks you down is exactly what we envision for the world of women's athletics.

Her connection with TIY hair ties underlines everything we do here to go beyond functionality. We will support Gabby 100% through her career while she pursues her dreams of playing Division 1 volleyball in college. Everywhere she goes in life, she'll inspire other young athletes and anyone facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Gabby Orlet Story