For as ready as Woburn boys hockey head coach Jim Duran may need felt for the season-opener’s pre-game assembly on Dec. 13, he wasn’t prepared for it to get fairly so emotional.
Just like every other, he talked technique. Everything he mentioned centered on the sport for about 10 straight minutes. He was on a roll together with his speech, till sophomore defenseman Matt DeFeo spoke up from the nook of the room to ask if was going to get an opportunity to play.
After spending two months in Boston Children’s Hospital, a lot of which he was unexpectedly paralyzed and intubated for, DeFeo had snuck into the room earlier than Duran acquired there. It was his first day trip, and earlier than DeFeo even acquired residence for the primary time in months, he made positive to cease in on the way in which to shock the group.
“He walked in with a huge smile (before Duran got there), everyone was going crazy,” mentioned Woburn junior ahead Jack Lee. “Coach came in to give his speech and he didn’t see him until after. … It was hilarious. Just awesome energy.”
“That was an emotional day for everybody,” Duran added.
The connection throughout the Tanners’ locker room runs deep. Ask DeFeo who his finest buddies are on the group, and his listing is lengthy earlier than including that everybody is fairly shut. That’s a part of what has fueled Woburn towards a 12-5 report getting into the weekend because it contends for a Div. 2 state title.
It wasn’t way back in any respect, although, that they feared they may lose one among their finest buddies since preschool.
During a golf match towards Reading in late September, DeFeo was tremendous. He felt sick sufficient to go to the physician’s workplace the following day, however not sick sufficient to maintain him from enjoying by way of it. Woburn junior Jack McEleney remembers DeFeo’s discomfort, simply as vividly because the surprising flip in his finest buddy’s well being.
DeFeo was identified with infectious mononucleosis (mono), however the subsequent few days acquired worse than simply common weak spot. In two days, he wanted to lean on his mother and father to stroll round the home. In the following two, he couldn’t really feel his toes or bear weight in any respect.
His native hospital didn’t know what it was. Out of seemingly nowhere, he wanted to go to Boston Children’s.
“We had no idea (what was happening),” DeFeo mentioned. “I thought I was probably coming home the next morning. Little did I know I wasn’t coming home for months.”
After an evening of testing, medical doctors mentioned he had Guillain-Barré Sydrome, which is a uncommon dysfunction no person across the DeFeos had ever heard of. DeFeo’s immune system was attacking his nerves, resulting in an ascending paralysis.
Within every week of his authentic analysis, DeFeo couldn’t stroll. Within two within the intensive care unit, he was paralyzed from the neck down, couldn’t breathe and couldn’t communicate.
“It was weird because I didn’t get into an accident,” DeFeo mentioned. “I just remember wondering when am I going to be at my worst because (the paralysis) just kept going up and up every day. Then eventually, when it was at my neck, that was my worst. It was crazy. … I was anxious (and) wicked nervous.”
“There was one day where I’m standing next to him, we’re playing together, having a good time. Eating lunch together, school,” McEleney added. “And then the next week you’re like, ‘Holy crap,’ and then it just keeps going and the whole school is talking about it.”
DeFeo was intubated for about 5 weeks, beginning with a tube in his mouth, moved to his nostril, and at last moved to his throat. He couldn’t eat, drink or discuss, and even requested one evening if he was going to die.
His buddies puzzled the identical.
“(Our parents) didn’t want to tell us straight up that there’s a chance, but they just kind of kept it to a secret saying ‘Things aren’t looking too good right now,’” McEleney mentioned.
As the workers at Boston Children’s helped DeFeo survive the worst of his signs, his family and friends did what they may.
His mother and father have been at his facet the entire time, and his older brother, in faculty, was there when he might be. His hockey teammates, in pairs at a time, have been visiting him nearly on daily basis – although he couldn’t communicate. Seeing his household spend Thanksgiving on the hospital with him, and his golf/hockey buddies set up a fundraiser soccer recreation with the ladies soccer group, are two acts that significantly caught out.
All of the time they spent with him, although, made the largest distinction.
“They visited a lot, which it helps get you through the day,” DeFeo mentioned. “I just felt so bad, just so down. Everyone at the hospital is just so miserable, and all the parents, you can tell that every parent is so defeated there. … It just felt so good, made me feel so much better. Like, ‘OK, I’m fighting for this.’”
By the time he might breathe on his personal and was prepared to start out rehab, DeFeo had misplaced 50 kilos. He’s labored on daily basis at relearning nearly each motor operate – as primary as lifting his arm or sitting up on the facet of his mattress. And now, after in depth rehab, he’s again to a way of normalcy.
The solely issues nonetheless lacking are any feeling in his toes and his regular stamina. But whereas he can’t really feel something under his ankles, that wasn’t going to maintain him off the ice.
Since that day he stopped into the group assembly, DeFeo has attended each recreation and nearly each apply. He began to apply himself just a few weeks in the past, collaborating in noncontact drills. The Tanners even let him begin on Thursday for the puck drop earlier than shortly speeding him off.
“It’s just so good to be back,” DeFeo mentioned. “That’s kind of just been my goal this whole time, just to be back where I was. … People wonder, ‘Do you need therapy? It was very traumatizing.’ My therapy is being back with my friends, being at practice. That’s what makes me feel good again.”
He’s nonetheless a good distance away from collaborating in any of his three sports activities, however is working towards enjoying his full junior season if he can. In the meantime, everybody round him is simply completely happy he’s wholesome, and he’s an inspiration for all of them.
“Obviously it’s a huge loss (on the ice), he’s a great player,” Lee mentioned. “But I’d say the biggest thing is … usually we’re around him every day. He’s one of my best friends. Just him not being there (for so long) was a huge loss.”
“We see him walk in the locker room every day and we’re just, like, we’re going to cherish every moment we can have,” McEleney added. “Just seeing a smile on his face, laughing, telling stories of what it was like, it’s just cool how he can be happy now.”
One-timers
Hockeyland’s cutoff date is on Thursday (Feb. 22) and state match pairings might be launched on Saturday.
Entering Saturday’s Div. 2 state closing rematch towards Duxbury, the Canton women have gone 12-1-1 with six shutouts since a disappointing loss to Dedham.
In avenging its solely lack of the yr, the Nauset boys have now scored at the least three targets over 11 straight video games.
The jaw-dropping streak continues out of Westwood, because the boys punched their ticket to a forty first straight journey to the state match.
Source: www.bostonherald.com