2008 Woodie Awards
Northeastern Athletics: Teaming up with Tedy
Amara Grautski
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Sports
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This year, Jerdee will run the Boston Marathon for Tedy's Team, a charity founded by the New England Patriots' Tedy Bruschi. Bruschi suffered a stroke in February 2005 and set up the organization that raises money for stroke research and awareness. Jerdee, a middler on the club women's soccer team, found inspiration after suffering a stroke last year, during a routine run to practice.
"I was running with the team and I immediately veered off to my right [and] grabbed a stop sign," Jerdee said.
Concerned teammates got the attention of a nearby security guard from Simmons College, who called an ambulance. Jerdee was rushed to Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"In the first half hour I was fully conscious," she said, but her capacities diminished shortly after. "I couldn't remember what year it was, or my birthday or anything."
The next day, Jerdee awoke around 9 a.m. to find she couldn't move her right hand.
"I asked the doctor, 'Am I ever going to use it?' and he said he didn't know," she said
Although seemingly healthy, tests concluded that Jerdee had suffered a stroke that affected her cerebellum and caused temporary paralysis on the right side of her body. She spent the next few months at the Spalding Rehabilitation Center near Massachusetts General Hospital, undergoing occupational, physical and speech therapy, but Jerdee said she considers herself lucky.
"My brother had cancer and my mom had cancer, so they know how to deal with stuff really well … and were all supportive in what I chose to do," she said.
Jerdee said her family helped her maintain a positive outlook.
"Whenever I felt the least bit discouraged, they were there to be like, 'What are you doing? Get going!'" she said.
While recovering, Jerdee read "Never Give Up," by Bruschi, who wrote the book after suffering a stroke in 2005. Although Bruschi's circumstances were different then her own, Jerdee found herself identifying with the NFL star.
"It was different than talking to my friends, family or doctor, because he actually went through it and I can definitely relate to everything," she said.
After reading the book, an inspired Jerdee said she realized she didn't just want to get well, she wanted to get better. She began working with the American Heart Association and applied to run the Boston Marathon for Tedy's Team - a large leap for someone who has never run a marathon and had just re-learned how to do simple daily tasks like walk and write.
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