Akron Reporter

Cleveland Clinic Akron General issued the following announcement on Feb. 28

Robbie Boyce, a senior at St. Ignatius High School, overcame major medical obstacles to return to playing competitive sports. Boyce will be honored with the Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Courage Award during the 22nd Greater Cleveland Sports Awards presented by Medical Mutual and Ancora on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

In September 2020, Boyce was at the gym preparing for his upcoming junior baseball season when he suddenly had a seizure and collapsed. Boyce’s trainer quickly called emergency services and he was airlifted to Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. Boyce, who was 16 years old, had suffered severe bleeding in his brain caused by a very rare type of stroke called a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and underwent emergency brain surgery.

During surgery, Mark Bain, M.D., neurosurgeon at the Cerebrovascular Center at Cleveland Clinic, and his team discovered an artery had ruptured inside Boyce’s brain that sustained significant damage forcing them to perform a procedure which involved inserting tiny coils into the pathway to ultimately seal the aneurysm and block blood flow.

After surgery, Boyce spent five days in a medically induced coma, and when he initially woke up, the right side of his body was paralyzed. His road to recovery looked to be a long one, but Boyce began to show steady progress as his brain healed.

For the next 30 days, Boyce remained in the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Intensive Care Unit followed by two months in rehabilitation therapy relearning basic functions, including walking and improving his short-term memory which were affected by the stroke.

By January 2021, Boyce had returned to school. He was back on the junior varsity baseball team and even resumed playing piano just three-and-a-half months after his stroke.

“In Robbie’s situation, because he’s so young and was in such critical condition, it takes a massive team, including surgeons, nurses, critical care specialists, physical and occupational therapists and many more, coming together to care for him every step of the way,” said Dr. Bain. “Looking back on how he came to us, and seeing him walking and talking, let alone playing sports and thriving, is really amazing.”  

Boyce believes his hard work, dedication and the support of family, friends and the medical team at Cleveland Clinic helped expedite his recovery. He now uses his story as a way to help others who are in similar situations remain positive and persevere.

“You’ll be able to get through it if you keep pushing as hard as you can and believing in yourself,” said Boyce. “There’s a lot of people out there rooting for you.”

Boyce is currently in his junior year at St. Ignatius High School and lives with his parents. 

Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Courage Award is given to an athlete who displays courage beyond the boundaries of their playing field, in order to inspire those around them.

Greater Cleveland Sports Awards is the premier annual sports fundraiser supporting Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and celebrates the past year of Cleveland’s professional, collegiate and high school sport achievements.

Tickets are available for purchase at clevelandsportsawards.com.

Recipients of the Courage Award presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine include:

2021 – Robbie Boyce, St. Ignatius, Baseball

2020 – Camryn Colahan, Vermillion, Volleyball and Basketball

2019 – Skylar Scarnecchia, Champion Township, Basketball, Soccer, Track & Field and Volleyball

2018 – Sophia Pecjak, Mentor, Soccer and Basketball

2017 – Samer Babi, North Olmsted, Football

2016 – Kendra Seitz, Hudson, Competitive Swimming

2015 – Colin Teets, Westlake, Hockey

2014 – Nick Lenyo, Huron, Football

2013 – Courteney Belmonte, Westlake, Competitive Cheerleading

2012 – Molly Miller, Notre Dame Academy, Soccer

2011 – Brandee Kelly, Cleveland State University, Basketball

2010 – Olivia Warhop, Hathaway Brown School, Swimming and Soccer

2009 – Gyasi Cooper, St. Ignatius High School, Track & Field

2008 – Eric Anderson, Jr., Gilmour Academy, Basketball

To learn more about Greater Cleveland Sports Commission or to keep up-to-date on new developments and activities follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Please use #CLESportsAwards when posting about this event.

Original source can be found here.