'Praying for Elle and Steele': Inseparable best friends injured in New Orleans attack
Childhood friends Steele Idelson and Elle Eisele did everything together. They played soccer at their south Florida high school, they were both team captains, they went to homecoming together, and even though they chose colleges across the country from each other, they didn't grow apart.
Now the two 19-year-olds are fighting for their lives at the same hospital after their night out on the town in New Orleans turned into a nightmare. Idelson and Eisele are among the dozens who were injured in injured in the New Orleans truck attack that killed 14 people in the early-morning hours of New Year's Day.
Idelson and Eisele were critically injured and remain hospitalized two days after the terror attack in New Orleans' famed French Quarter.
In her first public statement since the attack, Eisele shared an emotional message with her friends and family on Instagram Friday, offering a glimpse into her recovery journey.
“With more gratitude than you can fathom, I wanted to let my friends and family know that I am fighting and I am healing. Most importantly I am alive and I am so thankful that God spared Steele and myself,” Eisele wrote, referring to Idelson.
Here's what we know about the two best friends.
From middle school standouts to soccer team captains
Both Idelson and Eisele attended the K-12 Canterbury School in Fort Myers. On Thursday, a sign that reads "Praying for Elle and Steele" greeted soccer players arriving for training, according to Fort Myers News-Press, part of the Paste BN Network.
"They’re like sisters or daughters to me," said Canterbury soccer coach Paolo Acosta, who has known Eisele and Idelson since they joined the varsity team when they were 13 years old. "I saw them go through their development as players and as people."
Eisele and Idelson's soccer careers began early, joining the varsity team as eighth-graders, making them among the first Canterbury middle-schoolers to play on the varsity team. The pair played on Canterbury’s state runner-up team in 2021 as sophomores and both eventually served as team captains.
"They had early-on success, and the expectations were always high with them, and they were able to live up to the expectations," Acosta told the News-Press.
The Canterbury soccer team plans to honor Eisele and Idelson in their upcoming games.
“At the end of the day, we’re a fraternity,” Acosta said. “We want to do this for our girls. Our next couple of games, we’re going to be playing harder for them.”
The school issued a statement following the attack, expressing gratitude from both the teenagers' families for "the outpouring of thoughts, prayers, and offers of support for our daughters."
Both were the 'life of the party'
Acosta described Eisele as the “life of the party,” bringing energy and excitement to bus rides and school trips to games.
"She was in the back partying it up, getting everyone hyped and amped and ready to go,” he said. “Her presence was very well known. She’s always had confidence in herself and just tried to connect with everyone.”
When Idelson became a junior and senior, Acosta said she became the same way, very full of life, but on the field knew "how to be serious and switch on."
"You knew when Elle was in a room or when she was at least 10 rooms down the hall from you,” Acosta said. “And Steele, when she wanted to, she could match her (Elle’s energy) just as well."
ACL injuries sidelined the pair during their senior year, but they demonstrated resilience, working hard to recover and support their team.
“They know what it’s like to have things taken away from them,” Acosta said. “Seeing how they've dealt with adversity in the past, this is something that I'm pretty sure they’ll be able to, as well.”
Canterbury and community offer prayers and support
On Thursday, the team held a moment of silence for Eisele and Idelson, reflecting and offering prayers for their recovery. The impact of their injuries has extended beyond Canterbury’s campus.
University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead addressed the attack in a statement Wednesday, confirming that Eisele was critically injured.
"I have spoken to the student’s family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community," the statement read. "As we continue to hold the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers, the University will do everything in its power to support those in our community who have been impacted by this unspeakable event."
Eisele is also part of the Phi Mu Alpha Alpha Chapter at the University of Georgia. The University of Georgia Panhellenic Council released a statement expressing support for the victims and the New Orleans community Wednesday.
“We are deeply saddened by the horrible act of violence that occurred in New Orleans earlier this morning. Our hearts are with all those affected by the tragedy and the New Orleans community,” it wrote.
San Diego State University confirmed that Idelson was among the victims wounded in the attack, but a school spokesperson declined to comment further due to privacy laws.
In May 2023, on the cusp of going to separate colleges in California and Georgia, Eisele shared a photo of herself and Idelson on the beach wearing their new schools' T-shirts. In the photo, Idelson is giving Eisele a piggy-back ride and the young women have ear-to-ear smiles.
Eisele kept the caption simple: "@sandiegostateuniversity don’t take her away from me."
Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge
This story was updated to add new information