RIP Travis Roy

54thMA

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 15, 2012
10,154
Westwood MA
What a shame; very sorry to hear of this.

He was an inspiration to many, a true man of character.

R.I.P. Travis.
 

Ferm Sheller

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 5, 2007
20,404
Terrible news, I'm saddened to hear it. Hard to believe it's been 25 years since the accident. His mother taught at my high school and I used to play youth hockey in the arena now named after him.
 

edoug

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
6,007
A lot of horrible things have happened in 2020, this is one of the worst.
 

GeminiFish

New Member
Mar 12, 2017
33
Deeply saddened to hear this news. I was at the game with my wife (girlfriend at the time) when he got hurt. His story was an incredible inspiration. RIP Travis.
 

HurstSoGood

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 14, 2006
2,181
Each year I have shown my students videos of Travis as examples of inspiration and overcoming adversity. This absolutely sucks.
RIP Travis.
 

21st Century Sox

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 19, 2006
762
Hate to read this. 2020 sucks. The stories of Travis and many like him are just so immense. I was so fortunate to have a brother in law who changed my life in many ways. Frank passed on 1/3, helluva way to kick off what would be come a discouraging year for so many reasons.

I do NOT want to hijack this thread in any way, but my BIL was just unbelievable, and also suffered a sports injury, full quadriplegic. He lived WAY past his projections. I lifted him in and out of bed, countless times, dressed him countess times, carried him in and out of swimming pools, this over decades. It is amazing, but in so may of these interactions, I was inspired, and learned so much from him. Some people just have IT. I think Travis and Frank were cut from the same cloth.

Frank passed away at Notre Dame, a place he wanted to go for much of his life. There is a fantastic video here.....This thread seems the only correct place to share.

https://willdowler.wixsite.com/film/documentary
Click on Documentary, then click on the "Saint Francis" video. For those of you who choose to watch, thank you.....I can't let this guys memory fade.
 

changer591

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
965
Shrewsbury, MA
I'm really saddened to hear this news. His accident was during my first year at BU and while I was not a big hockey fan back then, I remember sitting in a hotel room with some of my old high school buddies who had come to Boston for the Head of the Charles watching the television while it happened. I never knew the man, but I was always rooting for him in life because I couldn't imagine not being able to do what you loved at such a young age.
 

PseuFighter

Silent scenester
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2003
14,408
Terrible, terrible news. :(

Someone who somehow was able to accomplish so much and inspire so many given such awful circumstances.
 

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
SoSH Member
Jul 22, 2006
8,232
Falmouth
This sucks.

When I was 13 I had nearly the same thing happen- went headfirst into the boards but was lucky enough that my head hit so square that I got a compression fracture of two vertebrae but my neck didn’t bend to either side so I had no nerve damage. Five years later, Travis had his injury.

I’ve thought about it more than once since, and the only thing I know is that I never could have handled the situation with as much courage, conviction, grace, and life as Travis did. The whole hockey world, especially in New England, was affected by Travis and his unquenchable spirit. He truly was an inspirational person and he died far too young. Pouring one out tonight for sure.
 

Humphrey

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2010
3,163
We just got the cable boxes in our then-new house when that happened- was channel surfing and the game popped up on NESN- a good 5-10 minutes after the injury. Couldn't figure out why there was a game on and everyone was just standing on the ice and there was no crowd noise.
 

redsoxdan

Active Member
Gold Supporter
Nov 25, 2005
25
This is truly awful news. In a year where it's easy to think, "Can it really get any worse?" 2020 keeps finding a way to do so.

It was my junior year at BU (and my second year of being a season ticket holder for the hockey team). We were so excited to be opening the season and celebrating the banner raising from the prior season's national title. Our seats were in the front row, almost right on top of the face off dot, on the end of the ice where BU shot twice. Of course these were strategically chosen for just that reason. Unfortunately, they also proved to be "perfect" seats to see Travis crashing head first into those boards.

I can still remember watching him from the moment he stepped on the ice until the moment his life changed forever. It's one of those few moments in life we all have that can be recalled in picture perfect clarity, no matter how many years have passed. How his body went immediately limp and we hoped he had just been knocked unconscious. How seemingly indefinitely he laid there on the ice while we experienced silence the likes of which I've never experienced since. Hoping beyond hope that he would move just one limb. Seeing his father being led out on the ice to him and knowing exactly what that meant.

We couldn't wait to see him play as he had been very hyped coming in, repeatedly being referenced as a no doubt future captain of the team. While I'm sure he was overhyped as a player (how could he not be when the main source of information was the student newspaper?) he couldn't have been more underhyped as a person.

While I never knew him, I was lucky enough to meet him a few times throughout my years at and around BU. Whether it was after a speaking engagement where I was able to chat with him briefly because I worked at BU after graduating, or in the Dugout where he had been brought in by the then current members of the team to celebrate winning another Beanpot, I was always more in awe of him than anyone else I've ever met. This includes future presidents of this country and multiple hall of famers across multiple sports.

To this day I am in awe of him and all he did with his life. I wish I could be half the person he was. Rest in peace Travis. I know wherever you are now you are continuing to inspire all those around you.
 

Tudor Fever

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2004
3,651
Maine
Hate to read this. 2020 sucks. The stories of Travis and many like him are just so immense. I was so fortunate to have a brother in law who changed my life in many ways. Frank passed on 1/3, helluva way to kick off what would be come a discouraging year for so many reasons.
Very nice documentary tribute. Your BIL was quite impressive. Sorry about his passing.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
SoSH Member
Oct 31, 2013
72,432
Echoing what everyone has said.

What a remarkable life and soul. What a sad morning.

RIP Travis.