Yesterday's Portland Press Herald had a nice article by AP writer Paul
Newberry about Travis Roy.  He says he has to find "reasons to get out
of the house" to break up the boredom.  For someone who has spent his
entire life playing hockey, soccer and other sports, it has been rough.
One of the reasons for leaving the house is traveling to Washington to
testify before the U.S. Senate to lobby for more money for research and
care for spinal cord injuries.  "I want to take advantage of this, for
all paraplegics and quadriplegics.  A lot needs to be done, and I'd
like to help.  There's got to be some changes.  There's too many
wrong things, especially with funding.  A lot of people don't have
adequate care."  Travis will be testifying next week.
 
He also will be "out of the house" June 15 when he carries the Olympic
Torch through Boston.  "I know they've had a couple bobbles with
the torch.  At least I'm not going to trip over my feet."
 
He is also making friends with two other hockey players who
suffered injuries similar to his and who are also being treated at
the Shepherd Center in Atlanta:  John Gilpatrick nd Kareem Norman,
a high school player from West Hartford, CT.  "Hockey players stick
together," says Gilpatrick.  "I'm sure the three of us will help
each other get along and deal with it better.  We're the ones who
know how it is."
 
 John Forsyth
 
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