The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus is having their final curtain call, leaving anyone who loved the show with memories.
Ninety-one-year-old Addie Devuono is heartbroken about the circus. It gave her a husband of 66 years, a family away from home and a friend she'll never forget.
Devuono grew up in West Virginia with dreams of becoming a ballerina. Her mother and two sisters saved every penny to launch her ahead.
"Make sure you work hard in your lessons and become the ballerina I want you to be, pfft, I ended up in the circus," Devono said laughing
She said they saw her talent.
Paying for classes in New York in the 1940's was hard, and her mother made that clear.
"I heard that over and over and over again, and poor thing I felt so sorry for her," Devuono said.
One day, she had a light bulb moment walking home from ballet class, "there was a sign up on the board there and it said Ringling Brothers looking for girls...God I wonder if they could use me... Maybe I oughta get out there and make my own money you know, and send her something," she said.
She walked in and spoke with the secretary, lying to get a job. They asked her if she could ride a horse, she said "sure!" Then they asked her to go to the stables, grab Ralph and take him for a few laps around the ring.
"I did so much lying it was disgusting, and they had a bunch of bales of hay and I said ooh I could bring Ralph over there and get up on the hay and get up on him," she clapped saying confidently, "Made in the shade."
Once she got on Ralph, he was the one who took her for a ride, speeding right back to his stall, and stopped on a dime, sending her flying over his head and falling to her bottom in front of him.
Devuono said Ralph looked down at her and made a noise she thought was a laugh at her.
Their friendship grew with time. She adored working with the animals, she showed them respect and knew how smart they were. Animals, like Nellie the elephant, showed their love to her at first sight.
"She picks up her trunk like this, and I go oh Jesus she's going to throw me, she's going to throw me, I shut my eyes and the next thing I knew she put her trunk around the back of me and pushed me up toward her... Go figure that. You know every time I think of Nellie doing that it brings tears to my eyes," Devuono said she wonders where Nellie is now.
If she had a chance to see her, she said she wouldn't say a word, just hug her.
Seventy years later the emotions are just as strong, and the memories as vivid. She made a family under that tent, including her partner on the trap and best friend, her husband of 66 years and Nellie.
Addie trusted her partners with her life, flying above the crowd, riding on top of Nellie, and she was the go-to gal for any act.
She said everyone under the tent knew her, she wanted to be loved by everybody.
"I did everything, everything, I said if I was going to be in a circus, you cannot be afraid," Addie said.
Soon though, there won't be a need for a go-to girl like Addie. No new memories made under the Big Top. She said she doesn't understand why the circus is dying.
"There's nothing like that circus to remain in your head, there's something that's embedded in there, I don't know what it is, you know?" Addie said.
She now lives at Sunrise, where her new family is helping her connect with her past one last time. They bought her a ticket to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show Friday morning.
She'll see a very different circus from the one she performed in for four years from 1943 to 1947. She just hopes the magic is still there.
