High school lacrosse player from Massachusetts worked his way back from life-changing surgery
The senior lacrosse captain at Acton-Boxboro High School in Massachusetts is an inspiration to his teammates after a long road to recovery led him to where he is today.
"To us, he's just another player," said head coach Patrick Ammendolia. "He doesn't want to be treated any different but I think when you look at what he has to overcome, it's nothing short of heroic."
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 15 months
Goalie Luke Kilfoyle is the senior captain for the boys' lacrosse team. He was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 15 months old.
"The type of cerebral palsy I have affects my whole left side," said Kilfoyle. "So it affects my left arm, my left leg, my left side of the brain."
Growing up, Kilfoyle said he didn't know what his diagnosis meant. He was more concerned with keeping up with his big brother on his way to joining the Revolution lacrosse team.
"He was the more athletic one in the family, I really always wanted to be like him," said Kilfoyle. "To be honest, sports kind of brought us together."
Kilfoyle was following in his older brother's footsteps until his cerebral palsy and puberty collided.
"My bone was growing faster than my muscles, so the muscle around my bone couldn't keep up," said Kilfoyle.
He said his femur started growing 90 degrees to the right, instead of straight ahead. It ultimately led to surgery and a long road to recovery. His teammates helped him travel by pushing him through the school's hallways in his wheelchair.
"During that time, I realized that cerebral palsy is going to be with me the rest of my life, I just have to control it," said Kilfoyle.
Worked his way back to play lacrosse
"Going through something like that, huge operation to have, it's a life-changing thing and he handled it like a champ," said teammate Tyler Cunningham. "But it changed for the better. I mean, look at him out here like this, so it's amazing to see."
Kilfoyle said he wasn't going to let cerebral palsy stop him from playing the sport he loves.
"My mom, my dad and my whole family have never put limits on me. I've never put limits on myself. I know the type of person I am, I know how capable I am with cerebral palsy. I just love being out here. It's not about how good I am, the skill I have, it's about being with my best friends."
Kilfoyle worked his way back, in time to share the field with his brother in his sophomore season. In his junior year, he started more than half of Acton-Boxboro's games in net.
"I fell in love with the position just because you can change the game so much," said Kilfoyle. "You're the last line of defense, right? They can't score unless the ball gets past you."
"You don't have to sprint, you don't have to jog for miles, it's just quick movements," said Ammendolia. "And he can do those things, it's a lot of hand-eye coordination and reactions."
Kilfoyle is now leading the way as a senior and his outlook on life has changed the game for his lacrosse team.
"One of my biggest inspirations, personally," said Cunningham. "Seeing everything that he's been through and all that's changed and all the good that's come from it."
"We're all playing lacrosse right now but we're all going to be remembered as people first and not lacrosse players," said Kilfoyle. "I want to be known as a guy who's going to make the world a better place after he leaves this program."
