OT: Travis Roy, Who Inspired Others After Life-Altering Hockey Injury At BU, Dead At 45

[Fenway]

I was at Walter Brown Arena the night it happened. We knew it was bad but hoped for the best. It wasn't until after the game at T's Pub that we found out how bad it was and there was a good chance he might die that weekend.

This is a powerful column from Kevin Cullen

http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nat...oseful-life/zlJefffJvuAgCHV8Z4ah5N/story.html

Travis Roy still loves hockey.

“I miss the sounds, the smells, the speed. It was my first love, and you never get over your first love. It’s hard for me to go into a locker room. I see the sticks and I want to grab one and feel how it feels in my hands.

“Any time I turn on the TV, any time I go into a rink, there is one or two minutes when I get queasy in my stomach from missing it. The sadness of that. And then I go on.

“I’m happy. But there’s no adrenaline rush. That’s what I miss. I’ll be watching a game and someone scores a game-winning goal, in any team sport, and I’ll find tears running down my cheeks because I’ll never feel that again.â€

Then he reads a letter from someone paralyzed and isolated and he isn’t thinking about himself. He’s trying to figure out how to help them.

Click to read more...

 

[sarge88]

Truly seems like yesterday.

I'm so impressed at how he turned such a tragedy into a positive, to help others.

 

[Fenway]

Truly seems like yesterday.

I'm so impressed at how he turned such a tragedy into a positive, to help others.

I asked Coach Parker once on how good a prospect Travis was and he said he had the potential to make the NHL.

 

[JRull86]

Truly seems like yesterday.

I'm so impressed at how he turned such a tragedy into a positive, to help others.

Travis spoke about living your life to the fullest and staying positive at my high school either in 2002 or 2003. It was very inspirational because here you see a young guy, confined to a wheel chair, who had his lively hood taken away from him in a freak accident. And all he was, was positive. It was an incredible thing to witness and hear.

 

[Kovi]

Read his book if you get a chance. Remarkably authentic--he doesnt mince words.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

NYA dedicated its hockey arena to TR.

 

[Fenway]

25 years ago tonight



There was supposed to be a big time Tuesday at Boston University, to remember the worst moment in Travis Roy’s life, the moment that counterintuitively led to a different, amazing life. But COVID-19 postponed all that and the good that would come of it, so it will happen next year.

“I can’t believe it’s been 25 years,” he says, almost to himself. “Sometimes it feels like it’s been forever, and sometimes it feels like yesterday.”

On Oct. 20, 1995, Roy was 11 seconds into his first shift for the BU hockey team when he fell hard against the boards.

His fourth vertebra cracked, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.

The amazing, transformative life of Travis Roy - The Boston Globe

 

[McGarnagle]

Whatever happened to that North Dakota defenseman who he hit leading to the injury? I have to imagine that guy was rattled for a long time.

 

[Fenway]

Whatever happened to that North Dakota defenseman who he hit leading to the injury? I have to imagine that guy was rattled for a long time.

I'm sure it did

The old WABU (Channel 68) was a training ground for the next generation of camera ops as they secured the Red Sox contract and all BU games.

 

[Ladyfan]

Hard to believe it has been 25 years. He is an inspiration.

 

[GordonHowe]

I was at Walter Brown Arena the night it happened. We knew it was bad but hoped for the best. It wasn't until after the game at T's Pub that we found out how bad it was and there was a good chance he might die that weekend.

This is a powerful column from Kevin Cullen

Leading a purposeful life, chosen by challenges - The Boston Globe

Thank your for posting. We all remember the incident.

While surely human, Travis has become an inspiration and not, merely, a sentimental story.

 

[busman21]

Reading his book as a kid inspired me to go into medicine as a career, specifically focusing on brain and spinal cord injuries. I told my parents “I want to fix people like Travis” soon after reading his book and then planned my life out accordingly.

I was lucky enough to meet him a few years back and share the story with him. He changed my life. Also, I gave my 11 year old nephew a copy of his book and he devoured it.

 

[stungun54]

Freeport Maine YMCA also has the Travis Roy Airnaseum that had unfortunately gone to shit. Basically and outside covered roller hockey rink basketball court and turf. All the boards glass and even a roller skating surface sitting outside basically rotting, so wasteful. Kids use area outside dor Martial Arts but it really needs to be renovated. Remember that day it was heart breaking. He is an inspiration.

 

[Saxon Eric]

RIP

 

[Bruinaura]

Wow

 

[Ladyfan]

Oh No.

R.I.P Travis. This is horrible news.

 

[Alicat]

So sad.

 

[McGarnagle]

That sucks.

 

[CDJ]

Just saw the news come across channel 4, RIP to an inspiration

 

[JRull86]

Still remember that motivational talk he gave at my high school 16-17 years later.

RIP.

 

[stungun54]

RIP Travis Roy

 

[Scruffy]

RIP

 

[Fenian24]

RIP. 2020 just keeps getting better by the day

 

[Don Cherry]

He may well be the toughest hockey player ever. Most would have wilted and hidden away for the rest of their lives. This guy put himself back out there and tried to make a difference. He definitely did.
RIP, Mr Roy.

 

[ranold26]

RIP Travis.