Rooting for recovery: The story of two courageous lovers, Allison Eastman and Hillary Pruitt

Nov 4, 2025

Utica, NY – As the comets prepared for the mullets and mullets on Friday, we were privileged to hear the stories of two people who have survived serious illnesses and become integrated members of the Comets community.

Allison Eastriaman, 31 years old and a native of Deerfield, NY, was diagnosed with NeuroFibromatosis just two months ago, a genetic disease that affects the development of deafness in the nervous system. His life is filled with doctor visits, MRIs, and surgeries. He had his first operation at the age of 12 to have a tumor removed from his shoulder region. The disease has plagued Allison with epilepsy and learning disabilities, common symptoms of neurofibromatosis, but that hasn’t stopped her from graduating high school and getting a humanities degree from college.

Most recently, Allison underwent invasive and invasive surgery to remove a tumor from her spinal cord, leaving her wheelchair behind in time. After spending 10 days in the hospital and another 10 days in Rehab, he returns home and is blessed with the love and support of his family and friends, whom he refers to as his army.

Before this most recent surgery, Allison enjoyed being able to do some of her favorite hobbies like Judo. Post surgery, however, life was very limited, having difficulty walking more than short distances and standing for long periods of time.

Despite the increasing limitations and pain she experiences every day, Allison continues to fight as she has throughout her life. One of his main inspirations, he says, is hockey. Allison joined the Comets community four years ago after attending his first game with an old friend from high school, a season ticket holder, and was so taken aback that he named his cats after the Comets’ maumbie. Allison has been a season ticket holder herself for three years now and has turned her mother into a fan as well.

While Allison enjoys the fast pace of games and the roar of the home crowd after big goals, going into Comets games he has taken a deeper aim. “I don’t focus too much on losing too much because of me, hockey is about the community. If you go to hockey games to win, and you will have many friends in the hockey community, and we do things together without getting the best part,” he said. Some of the activities he enjoys with Zume’s fans are Bows.

Allison’s positive outlook in the midst of it all was encouraging. His message to others with neurofibromatosis, which applies to everyone, is to live your life to the fullest, whether it’s stealing or walking in a different state to see your favorite hockey team. He added that involvement in the community is important. “Be a part of something so you have something to fight for and look forward to so you don’t get wrapped up in what’s going on. Even if you don’t improve the heel.” It is not only the game of the comets game this Saturday of Wilkes-Barre / Penguins, but he had the honor of making the puck of the festival battle, undoubtedly the bright spot of his most recent battle.

Hillary Pruitt, a 33-year-old from Utica, began her fight in 2021 when she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. After successful surgery and several months of chemotherapy and radiation, he was declared cancer free. However, this year the Pruitt family received the bad news that Hillary’s breast cancer had returned and spread to one of her lungs and parts of her brain.

In the face of this difficult diagnosis, Hillary is committed to fighting her cancer again, and her husband Austin was kind enough to share what life is happening to Hillary and the Pruitt family. “It takes everything to find it. The first year his cancer in 2021 was far away. We thought it was over and then we just found out that it wasn’t.”

Austin added that Hillary has been unable to work out and that her energy level varies from day to day. Sometimes he is able to participate in whatever the family is doing, and other days he is forced to rest. Austin said that without their support system, life would be very difficult. “Our family and our friends have been unbelievable. Every day we have people come to us, offer to bring us to dinner, and we’re just willing to take everything off our plate.”

Family means everything to Hillary, and her 20-month-old son Alexander has given her former fighting strength. Her message to other women fighting the same battle is to keep your head up and take it one day at a time because it’s a race, not a sprint.

Pruitt has been a Comets Season Ticket Holder for four years now. Hillary grew up in Virginia and although she wasn’t around hockey her whole life or had a strong love for it, she fell in love with the game when Austin brought her her first game seven years ago.

Like Allison Eastman, Hillary and Austin have developed a strong connection with the Comets community that keeps them coming back to the Adirondack Bank Center. Even with her recent backlash, Hillary looks forward to attending every Comets game she can, and it’s part of what keeps her fighting.

Hillary and her family will be dropping the puck off at Muzzys and Mullets this Friday, November 7^thand when asked what the game means to the Pruitt family, Austin said, “It’s amazing that the organization is participating in it.”

It’s people like Allison and Hillary that make the comets community truly special, and we wish them strength as they continue their fight. The Comets will host the Belleville Senators at the MUZYS and Mullets this Friday night at 7 PM. For tickets or other information, please visit UTICACOMETS.com/Tickets or Call 315-790-9070.