BU Athletics Mourns the Passing of Travis Roy '00

October 30, 2020

Former Boston University ice hockey player Travis Roy '00, who will always be remembered for turning a life-altering injury into inspiration, passed away at the age of 45 on Thursday.

Roy came to campus in 1995 to play for head coach Jack Parker, and his BU career lasted all of 11 seconds, as a collision with the boards on his first shift resulted in a fracture of his fourth vertebra, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.

In the 25 years that passed since the injury, Roy went on to inspire not only the college hockey world, but people across the country thanks to his efforts with the Travis Roy Foundation. Roy channeled his energy into raising millions of dollars to help others with spinal-cord injuries and becoming an inspirational speaker while advocating for medical research.

"Travis was nothing short of remarkable, and it was a privilege to call him a friend," said BU director of athletics Drew Marrochello. "He inspired so many people and he had that great magnetic quality of someone you just wanted to be around. The word 'hero' is often overused, but Travis was absolutely a hero."

The Boston University community rallied around Travis in such a way that Parker often remarked that while the worst thing that happened to him as a coach was Travis' accident, the best thing was how the campus and the hockey world came together to provide support.

"We've lost someone who was so special to so many people, whether you knew him for decades or just met him recently," said Parker. "The relationship my family and I had with Travis was unbelievably close. He looked up to me and I looked up to him.

"It's too bad we can't get together to celebrate his life right now because the turnout would be so big that most people wouldn't be able to get in the door."

Current head coach Albie O'Connell was a fellow freshman with Roy in 1995 and got to see Travis' journey up close and first-hand.

"Travis was dealt a difficult hand in life, but he played it well," said O'Connell. "He impacted a lot of lives, not only at BU and in the Boston area, but also nationally. For our program, he was a bridge-builder between a lot of classes. He loved being a Terrier.

"A memory that I'll always have is skating around at Midnight Madness freshman year at a packed Walter Brown Arena and he was just so excited to get going and embark on a college career. We had such a short time playing together but I remember it all so vividly. We've lost a special guy."

Another classmate, Dan Ronan, remained a very close friend over the past 25 years, and he serves on the foundation's board of trustees.

"Above all else, Travis was selfless, and it permeated every part of his life," said Ronan. "He would reach out to families who were trying to cope with a spinal-cord injury and walk them through it. In a way, he was taking people's pain on for them. You would walk away feeling better after talking with him.

Roy's book, Eleven Seconds: A Story of Tragedy, Courage & Triumph, was published in 1998 and provided a heartfelt look into how Roy coped with his injury and made the most of a new chapter in life.

"He was more than BU, more than a hockey player, more than a paralyzed person … really so many things to so many people," added Ronan. "For a lot of folks—from little kids to older people—he was as big as any athlete in Boston. His book is one that many schools use for summer reading programs, and it's full of great lessons. I remember when I started coaching, some of the kids came up to me and said, 'I saw your name in Travis' book!'"

In 1999, Roy became the first player in program history to have his number retired as his 24 now hangs in the rafters at Agganis Arena alongside Parker's 6.

A summer tradition was created in 2001 when the inaugural Travis Roy Foundation WIFFLE Ball Tournament took place in Essex, Vt. The 19th annual edition of the tournament, despite occurring virtually this summer, raised over $325,000 to move the fundraising total to over $6.4 million in its history. In total, the foundation has raised over $10 million since 1996.

Five years ago for the 20th anniversary of his accident, Roy was featured by ESPN, and anonymous donors contributed $2.5 million to create the Travis M. Roy Professorship at Sargent College. Mayor Marty Walsh declared Oct. 20, 2015, Travis Roy Day in Boston and the Boston Bruins signed him to a one-day contract.

A native of Yarmouth, Maine, Roy earned a bachelor's degree in public relations from the College of Communication in 2000 before later receiving an honorary doctor of humane letters at BU's 2016 Commencement.

He is survived by his parents, Lee and Brenda, his sister, Tobi, and her husband, Keith, along with four nieces and nephews.

"After his injury, he missed hockey so badly. I remember him telling me that he didn't think he would ever have anything to get that passionate about ever again," added Parker. "But sure enough, he started his foundation and had a much bigger impact than he would of if he a was a 20-year NHLer. He cared so much about others who suffered similar injuries and they will all feel that care for the rest of their lives. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who could give so much while dealing with an unbelievable handicap. Courage, class, patience and grace. He was a gem."

"This is a loss for not just the Boston University community, but a loss for all humanity," said Marrochello. "The legacy of his work—and of him as a person—will live on forever."

Statement from BU Athletics on the Passing of Travis Roy

"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. 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."

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