Growing up in Yarmouth, Maine, Travis Roy — then, a promising prospect from prep power North Yarmouth Academy — set playing college hockey as a lifelong dream.
On Oct. 20, 1995, that dream became reality, and his life also changed forever. After crashing into the corner boards just 11 seconds into his first collegiate shift at Walter Brown Arena, Roy cracked his fourth and fifth cervical vertebra, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.
Rehab and recovery followed, and he has since gained some movement back in his right arm. Roy’s courage and positive energy quickly made him one of the most inspiring figures on the Boston sports scene, backed by a large group of supporters including former BU coach Jack Parker (Somerville, Mass.) and a foundation that bears his name.
