Leaving his mark: Monessen senior left lasting impression on school, community
Darrion Allensworth performs in a Monessen High School musical production.
Darrion Allensworth performs in the Monessen High School marching band.
Darrion Allensworth performs in a Monessen High School musical production.
Darrion Allensworth plays sled hockey.
By John Sacco
For Darrion Allensworth, it has never been about what he cannot do, it has always been about what he is going to do.
Born without the use of his legs, Allensworth has pushed forward to a life with little restrictions.
He uses a wheelchair to get around. But that has not, and will not, slow him down. He hangs with his friends and is often a focal point because of his unique personality, wit and some downright orneriness.
Allensworth, a senior at Monessen High School, forged friendships and a reputation that is inspiring and, in some respects, mind boggling.
He has played sled hockey for 10 years. He performed in the Greyhounds marching band and he is a member of Monessen Group for Performing Arts – having acted on stage as “Vince Fontaine” in the production of Grease in 2019. He was slated to be “The Big Bad Wolf” in this year’s production of “Shrek: The Musical,” which was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the closure of all schools in Pennsylvania.
He, and his cast mates, hold hope that they can still hold the show, if restrictions lift in time.
Allensworth came to Monessen when he was 7-years-old, moving from Greensburg and Maxwell Elementary to the third grade at Monessen Elementary Center.
“Before coming to Monessen, I didn’t do much outside of school,” said Allensworth, who will attend Waynesburg University in the fall and major in broadcasting. “I just stayed at home.”
A new world opened up at Monessen as he progressed to middle school and then to high school.
“My van driver’s grandson told me about sled hockey when I was 7-years-old and where practices were held,” Allensworth said. “My mother drove me to Harmarville – the Blade Runners Ice Complex. I got into a sled on the ice and I loved it from the start.
“I played on the novice team, the lowest competitive level.”
Sled hockey, sledge hockey in Canada and Europe, is a sit-down version of ice hockey for players whose disability prevents them from playing the stand-up version of the game.
The goal is to put the puck in the net – the same goal and rules as stand-up hockey.
Sled hockey players use their arms to power themselves around the ice and their hips to move side-to-side. Each team has six players – three forwards, two defensemen, and a goalie. Substitutes are made when play is stopped, or on the fly. Periods are 20 minutes. Play is on a regulation sized ice rink with standard size nets and puck.
“I made a lot of friends on my team and other teams,” he said. “As we got older and more experienced, the competition became greater. I love that as well.”
A popular guy
Allensworth is beloved by his classmates – even though he can be a little cranky with them at times out of frustration.
He is certainly a huge part of the culture of his class and a dear friend to others.
“Sometimes I get discouraged,” said Gage Cox, who became immediate friends with Allensworth at Monessen Elementary. “I try to think of Darrion and all the things he does. He doesn’t allow anything to stop him.”
Cox transferred from Monessen and recently graduated from a high school in Ohio.
He and Allensworth remain good friends.
“When he moved here in third grade, I was assigned to him as a helper,” Cox said. “He’s helped me more than I helped him.”
Jordan Miller and Josh Anderson are two of his close friends in Monessen’s class of 2020.
All three will remain together going forward as they plan to attend Waynesburg University.
Miller said she leans on Allensworth for advice, help or “just to talk.”
“He is always there for me whenever I need help in school,” Miller said. “This has been a difficult year for my family and me. Darrion has made sure to check on us to make sure everything is OK and see if we need anything. He is an amazing person.
“Whenever anyone is having a bad day on the stage or at band practice, Darrion is always there to brighten their moods with laughter and jokes. He is able to bring some joy to a difficult rehearsal through humor.
“Since I have known him, Darrion has never let his disability stop him from living his life and conquering his dreams. His strength and determination have taught me to never give up on my goals, no matter the circumstances. Darrion is not only a great friend, but someone who inspires me.”
Anderson and Allensworth share a special friendship. They love video games, and share the same taste in movies and books.
“We basically grew up with each other,” Anderson said. “We’ve been there for each other all along. I’d say he has an incredible impact on my life.
“He was, and still is, a great trumpet player and I don’t think the part of Vince Fontaine in our musical “Grease” would have been the same without him. He has helped greatly not only by (fundraising) for the band and contributing a lot to our musicals, but by creating and painting props as well as being a part of the musical cast.
“When he says he’s going do something, he does it. He doesn’t let those obstacles block his vision and that’s what I really like about him. I really think that a lot of my determination to succeed comes from seeing Darrion’s will to never give up. He can be annoying, funny, serious, or sometimes just weird, but I think that’s just how Darrion is.”
One thing Allesnworth clearly exhibits is great strength – mentally and physically.
Cox pointed to one instance as he and his friend where going up a steep hill leading to Allensworth’s home.
“I had to push a (bicycle) up the hill,” Cox said. “I offered to push Darrion up the hill as well. He said: ‘I got it’ and proceeded to wheel himself up that hill to his house.”
Said sophomore Jack Sacco: “Darrion has incredible upper body and mental strength. It’s amazing what he does. Sometimes we go to help him, and before we get the words out, he is gone. We need to be on our ‘A’ game to keep up with Darrion.”
That will never be lost on Darrion’s mother, Sabrina Chao.
“I’m very proud of him,” Chao said. “I raised him to not look at it as having a disability. God gives us all abilities to do things and Darrion knows he needs to be grateful for his abilities.
“He’s done well in school and he is very competitive. I wanted to give him every opportunity to be the best he can be in the things he wanted to do. My mom did that for me.
“I thought about moving from Monessen before his freshman year. That would not have been fair to Darrion. This is the place for him. He has a really good group of friends. I am proud of all those kids. They will all do great things. They have all handled this very well.”
Allensworth’s father, Brandon, is teaching him how to drive a car that is adapted to his son’s physical abilities.
It’s just another step, another goal.
“Driving is an added freedom,” the young Allensworth said.
Ladies to the front
Allensworth said his mom is his biggest supporter and provider.
“She my greatest helper and advocate,” he said. “My mom always finds a way for me to do what I love. She’s always made sure my head was pointed in the right direction as far as school is concerned.
“Obviously, her taking me to sled hockey tournaments and practices all over the country and in Canada. That’s a huge credit to her. I definitely could not do what I do without my mom.”
Allensworth also credits Monessen teacher Hilary Brown, band director/music theater director, for opening her programs to him.
“Mrs. Brown definitely helped me by finding ways to incorporate me into the band and GPA and do what the others were doing,” he explained.
Brown said Allensworth has equally and positively impacted her career. She met him when he started trumpet lesson in fifth grade and continued in sixth grade.
“His seventh and eighth grade years, he decided to stop playing,” Brown said. “I tried for a couple years to get him back to the band program. He just wasn’t sure about the whole marching band thing, especially with him being in a wheelchair.
“I pretty much hounded him until he finally gave in and said ‘OK.’ I assured him he would be on the field, just like all the other students marching. He would just be pushed around to his positions. I really don’t think he believed me until he came to band camp the first day.
“After his experience with the marching band, I think he felt like he belonged to a group, especially when his friends convinced him to audition for the musical, something I think he would’ve never done before. He was concerned about the whole ‘being in the way’ on stage when everyone else would be dancing and acting. I told him it wouldn’t be any different than when he was on the field during marching band. I truly believe he never expected me, along with our instructors, to make a space for him to be successful.”
One of the greatest compliments, he and the Monessen actors, director and Megan McKenna, choreographer, received came in the spring of 2019 at the annual “Night of Stars” – which features a condensed version of Westmoreland County schools’ musicals – at The Palace Theater in Greensburg.
“Many other directors came up to (Darrion) and congratulated him on his performance,” Brown said. “One choreographer even pointed out that we didn’t just ‘hide’ him on the stage, we actually had him dancing and moving with the other students.”
Legacy of strength, determination
Milana Sacco befriended Allensworth in third grade. They have shared, laughs, tears, good times and bad, field trips, the stage and mutual respect.
“Darrion certainly shook things up when he came to Monessen and he continues to do so,” she said. “He always finds ways of getting into mischief. Darrion definitely adds excitement to the lives of his friends and classmates.”
Sacco said he would irritate teachers when sometimes during class he’d lift himself out of his wheelchair and “pop” into a classroom chair in one motion. Allensworth frequently “misplaced” his elevator key. So, he would sometimes get Anderson to turn his wheelchair around and take him down the steps backwards instead.
That landed him in some trouble, Sacco added.
“He has left quite the legacy behind,” she said. “He taught all of his classmates the importance of not taking things too seriously, and how to have fun. He excels at so many different things. People have learned a few lessons from Darrion. He has such a good mentality and he rarely gets discouraged by anything.
“We have so many similar interests have so many things in common that we never run out of things to talk about. It is so interesting watching him at band practice or musical rehearsal because I see a completely different side of him. Everyone who knows Darrion, understands he is a great athlete, but they may not know that he is a gifted musician and performer. I am glad that I get to see all sides of him.”
While Allensworth laments missing out on the last three months of his senior year and all that goes with it, he’s excited for the future – continuing to play sled hockey and college life.
“I want to get into broadcasting,” he said. “I love sports. I grew up watching hockey and basketball. Waynesburg offered me the best opportunity. It’s not too far from home.”
Allensworth will not be soon forgotten.
“I will honestly miss having Darrion around to make any situation into something to have fun during,” Brown said, “especially his jokes. He always made sure to catch me off guard with his off-the-cuff humor. Only one time did I get him back and I really think that was the time he finally saw me as a teacher who cares about him.
“He always reminds (us) that he can do it himself. During marching band, he was determined to not have anyone help him go up and down the bleachers or get on and off the bus. Only one time did he “give in” and let us carry him onto the bus because it was raining so hard, he couldn’t get his grip. I know people around us always looked at us like we were being so mean to him by letting him do it himself. Honestly, I made remarks to people that he refuses to let us help him.”