Travis Roy Foundation winding down operations, Red Sox offer tribute

BOSTON — The Travis Roy Foundation announced on Thursday its plans to honor the late hockey player’s wishes by winding down operations by early next year.

Travis Roy was a freshman hockey player at Boston University when he was paralyzed during his first shift in an NCAA game. The foundation was later established in 1996 to help other spinal cord injury survivors and fund research focused on solving paralysis-related challenges.

Roy, who passed away on October 29, 2020, requested that the foundation cease operations following his death. Through the funds collected, trustees will develop new ways to benefit paralyzed survivors of spinal cord injuries as the foundation ceases operations by April 2022.

Boston Red Sox also announced on Thursday an opportunity for fans to honor the legacy of Roy and raise more funds for enhancing the lives of spinal cord injuries by being able to play WIFFLE Ball at Fenway Park.

The announcement comes in advance of the 20th anniversary and final Travis Roy Foundation WIFFLE Ball Tournament that’s taking place on August 13-15 in Essex, Vermont. The Red Sox will be opening Fenway Park to two of the 32 teams competing in the Vermont tournament to play WIFFLE Ball in the historic Boston park.

“We are so grateful to the Red Sox and their fans. You have been MVPs in the background and on the front lines. With your support, we’ll knock it out of the park during this final WIFFLE Ball Tournament,” said Arthur B. Page, chair of the Travis Roy Foundation Board of Trustees.

So far, the foundation has raised over $20 million for research and grants to thousands of individuals and their families dealing with the challenges of paralysis after a spinal cord injury. The foundation has awarded more than $5.6 million in research grants dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord paralysis.

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