The story of Ali Nowotny in the Rapid City Journal touched many hearts over the past weeks.

Ali, a 17-year-old senior at St. Thomas More High School, left last week for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where she underwent surgeries to remove a tumor from her left temporal lobe.

The hope is to relieve the young woman of the tumor and the seizures she has suffered over the years because of it.

Her story is a personal one she and her family chose to share with readers. We're glad they did. Her strength, courage and her family and friends' commitment to her well being are inspirational. It helps to remind us during this holiday season that family is what we need to rely on during challenging times.

The Journal story followed Ali and her family on their difficult journey and thousands of readers followed along - offering words of encouragement and prayers.

Ali's story was one of strength and hope. The young woman's strength and faith brought together strangers in the community on the letters pages as well as through online commentary. The letters sent to Ali, provided even more encouragement and support.

"It's really been helping me to keep the faith," she said.

Yes, keeping the faith; that's what we need to remember and can take from this story. Faith in family, faith in our beliefs, faith in each other.

We tend to get caught up in the fast pace of this season and forget what it's all about. The Ali story was a good reminder that, even in the most challenging times, being surrounded by family and friends is what's important and what we should all strive for.

It has been a difficult year for many families in the Black Hills area and we'd expect it to be some time before we can honestly say the worst is over.

But if we can surround ourselves with the things that are important to us, that will ease some of the burden and help us all along the way.

At the Mayo Clinic hospital bed, Ali was surrounded by family, giving her strength. We should all be so fortunate in trying times.