Isabella Lewis is ‘grateful to be alive’ & Looking Forward to Next Season

Isabella Lewis, left, with teammates, from left, Ariana Maloney, Claire Marshall and Kimberly Johnson after West Jessamine won the Defender Classic. (John Estes Photo)

The 2024-25 basketball season could not have started any better for West Jessamine junior Isabella Lewis.

She scored in double figures in five of her team’s first six games and was named to the all-tournament team at the Billy Hicks Classic. She had 20 points against Pulaski County on Dec. 23 and then had 23 points, including 18 in the second half, in a win against eventual 12th Region champion Danville Christian on Dec. 31.

However, everything changed a few days later on Jan. 4 when she was in a serious automobile accident that left her “grateful to be alive.” She had to have two knee surgeries and hip surgery. She also suffered a concussion in the crash.

Lewis is now making progress toward a comeback for next season. She got the go-ahead to start running and shooting.

“It’s hard to stay patient. My sophomore year I tore a ligament in my thumb but I only missed two games,” the West Jessamine junior said.

She optimistically wants to be able to play in at least one AAU event but understands she cannot rush the healing process.

The 5-9 guard was averaging 14 points per game — she averaged 8.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore — when she was injured in the crash. She had already gone to the foul line 93 times in 14 games.

“I always knew I had that kind of potential but I was finally showing it. I have just told myself that next year can be even better,” Lewis said. “I will be back, Ariana (Maloney) will be back after tearing her ACL a few games into the season. Claire (Marshall), Kimberly (Johnson) and Katie (Mastin) will all be back, so we are excited.”

Lewis doesn’t remember anything about the crash. Her younger sister and a friend were in the back seat but were not injured in the crash about 10 minutes from Lewis’ home.

“I found out the dash went into both my knees. I had surgery on both knees (Jan. 6). I tore the patella tendon in my left leg and dislocated  my left hip when a piece of the bone broke. I had two screws put in my hip during surgery two days after my knee surgeries.

“The doctors originally told me it would be at least six months before I would get cleared, so I was surprised when they said everything looked good and I could go back to physical activity at about the three-month mark.”

Despite her injuries, Lewis kept telling herself it could have been much worse. She was happy to be able to go to games to watch her team play.

“I didn’t even notice the pain when I was watching my teammates. I just tried to block out the pain then,” she said. “The worst part was not the actual injuries but where I dislocated my hip I had a bunch of nerve pain down my leg into my foot. There were three weeks or so where I could barely sleep. I had to go back to the emergency room with nerve pain. That was the worst part.”

Lewis has maintained her positive attitude since the crash and learned valuable lessons.

“I am so grateful just to be alive. God is incredible because it all could have been so much worse for me,” Lewis said. “The season had so many different emotions for me and I learned so many lessons. The biggest thing I learned was to enjoy every second because I found out it can all be taken away so quickly. I learned not to take anything for granted.”