Former BU Hockey Player, Paralyzed In First Game, Remembered For Spinal Cord Injury Advocacy

Travis Roy, a former Boston University hockey player who was paralyzed during his first shift, has died at 45.

Roy made his debut with the team on Oct. 20, 1995. Eleven seconds in, he slid into the boards and suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed.

His injury drew nationwide attention. And in 1997, he started the Travis Roy Foundation to fund scientific research and help spinal cord injury survivors lead more independent lives.

In a 2012 interview with WBUR's Sacha Pfeiffer, Roy talked about the challenges of coming back to BU after his accident.