Fonthill Teen Ben Fox is Drafted Into the OHL Less Than a Year After Suffering a Stroke During Practice
With one pick remaining in the OHL draft, Ben Fox turned away from his computer screen to talk to his brother. He wasn’t expecting to be drafted; he was watching only as an avid fan of the game. When he turned back and read the final selection it made him leap from his chair. The Niagara Ice Dogs had used their final pick to take the Fonthill native 302nd overall.
“I was thrilled and overwhelmed,” said Ben, “I wasn’t expecting it at all.”
A year ago, a draft selection would not have surprised anyone. The previous season, Ben had been one of the strongest players on his team, the Southern Tier Admirals, leading the defense corps and acting as assistant captain. But on August 5th, 2014, Ben developed a migraine during practice and collapsed. He had suffered a debilitating stroke.
Ben spent the next two months at McMaster Hospital. A portion of his skull had to be removed in order to accommodate the swelling in his brain. He was then transferred to the Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto for another three and a half months. Today, he continues with physiotherapy three times a week, as well as occupational therapy three times a week.
The road has been long and arduous, but the goal is full recovery. “No one can say it’s a long shot, no one can say it’s impossible,” said Ben’s mother, Jodi. “He’s proving to everybody that he’s not going to take this lying down.”
Ben himself exudes a stoic confidence. While recovering in Toronto, Ben had tried to skate at least once or twice a week, recognizing the need to get his stride back and regain the full use of his left arm. He fully expects to contribute to his new team in the near future. “They told me they will treat me like any other draft pick, so I have to report to training camp and orientation in a couple of weeks,” he said.
Ben has also become a spokesman for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. “Hopefully we can make people aware of the signs and symptoms,” said his mother. “Even if we can help save just one person’s life, then we’ve done our job.”
It takes a special kind of person to overcome such an obstacle, but the same work ethic and determination that made him a dominant defenseman has helped him to tackle this new challenge. While support from family, friends, and, most recently, the Ice Dogs have made his journey easier, ultimately it is Ben’s attitude and strength of character that have allowed him to persevere. “He’s a fighter,” said his mother, “He’s my hero.”
