By: Faith Rinker

Usually when you hear "based on a true story…" people are skeptical and don't know how much of it they can believe. However, this time the story of a local family's triumph is true, and has been turned into a movie that will be debuted at the Normal Theater. 

"It's not what happens in life, it's how you deal with it" is one of the biggest lessons "Hoovey" would like to get across to the audience, and it's a very powerful one. 

"Hoovey" is the story of a local family from the Bloomington-Normal area, whose son Eric, aka "Hoovey", was a basketball player at Olympia High School. Eric collapsed on the basketball court and his family found out shortly afterward that he had a brain tumor. The film follows the family as dad, Jeff, rushes Eric to the hospital during a snowstorm, the challenges that the brain tumor brought Eric, and his ability to overcome that and become a college basketball standout. 

"Hoovey" was the winner of the 2014 Best Feature Film at L.A. Sunscreen Film Festival and awarded five out of five Doves from the Dove Foundation for Family Movies. It's a great lesson to everyone to pursue your dreams and never give up!

Patrick Warburton, Lauren Holly, and Cody Linley star in the film which will premiere at the Normal Theater on January 31st and it will continue to run February 2nd through 6th. A portion of ticket sales will benefit the Baby Fold, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Parkside Junior High School.Tickets for the premiere are $25 and include a reception and meet-and-greet at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.

**UPDATE: The premiere date is SOLD OUT, but you can still get tickets to the run dates the week of February 2nd through February 6th!

Jeff Elliott stopped by the studio and we had a chance to talk with him about the experience.

Eric "Hoovey" Elliott also stopped by the studio the day before the premiere to talk about his own personal experience!