The 2025 Rocky Mountain Light The Night Honored Heroes:

Talley Nakata and Sydney Alexander share more than a friendship—they share a battle. Both diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the same age, they met through their social worker at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in December 2023 and instantly bonded. Now, as best friends and future roommates, they’re showing the world that no one fights cancer alone.  

Talley was diagnosed in May 2022, just before high school graduation, and completed treatment in September 2024. She’s now studying Marketing at CU Denver while teaching dance to students aged 5-18. Sydney was diagnosed in October 2023 and is on track to finish treatment in February 2026. Initially studying interior design, she shifted to Nutrition at Metro State University after her dietitian helped her navigate treatment. Together, they are passionate advocates for young adults facing cancer, raising awareness for LLS’s lifesaving research, and proving that a diagnosis doesn’t mean life stops—it means finding strength in each other.