On Thursday the hockey world lost a true hero as Travis Roy passed away at the age of 45 due to complications from his paralysis.
Roy was a young up-and-coming star in 1995 when he was paralyzed just 11 seconds into his first collegiate hockey game at Boston University.
The horrific incident left Roy paralyzed from the neck down, but that did not stop him from living his life to the fullest and impacting so many in ways that we will be able to describe.
Roy's lifelong dream disappeared in the blink of an eye, but instead of letting the negative of his injury define him he went on to live a life of positives.
He dedicated his life to individuals with spinal cord injuries through the Travis Roy Foundation.
"It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Travis Roy. His story is the epitome of inspiration and courage, and he was a role model and a hero to so many people. Travis’ work and dedication towards helping fellow spinal cord-injury survivors is nothing short of amazing," BU Athletics said in a statement Thursday. "His legacy will last forever, not just within the Boston University community, but with the countless lives he has impacted across the country. Our sincere thoughts are with his wonderful family as well as his vast support group of friends and colleagues.”
The passing of Roy comes just days after the 25th anniversary of his accident.
I've had the pleasure of meeting Roy on several occasions, the first time being after a speech given to my high school class in 2007. His story is so incredible and so inspirational to everyone who has come across it. He was a wonderful guy to talk to and always did so with a smile on his face.
If you haven't yet, I highly recommend giving his book
"Eleven Seconds: A Story of Tragedy, Courage & Triumph" a read. You won't be disappointed.
Travis, thank you for being an inspiration to so many. You will be missed.
You can click here to donate to the Travis Roy Foundation.
Boston Bruins Blogger • 
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