Kurt Leblanc, 17, a 4.0 student from Bourg who suffered two brain stem strokes in September 2008, was selected as a semi-finalist for the High School Rudy Awards. Kurt, a former football player for the South Terrebonne Gators, lost his peripheral vision in his right eye one day after football practice. It was an effect of his first stroke.
In a journal posted by Kurt, he wrote that he was advised by a neurologist to refrain from playing in a game until the doctors were certain of his condition. It was at a homecoming pep rally, before a game in which Kurt was supposed to start as linebacker, that his right leg buckled because of a clot in his head.
Three days later as he was getting ready for school, Kurt became dizzy and fell to his knees, leaving his head resting on the tub until his brother found him. He was rushed to a local hospital where they checked his heart thoroughly and later transferred him to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.
“Six doctors told my parents that I was dead,” Kurt wrote in his journal.
As his parents were riding home, a doctor phoned telling them that he wanted a chance to save Kurt. Doctors performed a procedure that had only been successful in cases four to eight hours after a stroke. Kurt’s operation was performed 53 hours after his. The doctor removed the clot, which was supposed to leave Kurt bedridden.
Kurt wrote, “I progressed out of that with prayers and am supposed to make a full recovery now.”
“Although he is going through vigorous physical training every day, he never complains and always has a smile for everyone. What an inspiration to all,” Kurt’s grandmother Betty wrote in an article posted online.
The Rudy Awards, named for former Notre Dame football player, Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, is set up to honor inspirational football players. The players chosen are those that best define Rudy’s “Four C’s”: character, courage, contribution and commitment. Online fans and a selection committee chose the nominees. Jim Mora Sr., Drew Bledsoe and Mike Smith are a few of the distinguished members on the committee. There are 396 nominees for 2009. The award offers a $10,000 academic scholarship for first place and $5,000 scholarships to the runner-ups.
Kurt’s former teammates held a fundraiser to show support and to help with the expenses related to his treatment. They had bracelets made, which were sold to people in the community for $5 each. The bracelets were green with black letters that said, “Stay Strong Kurt Leblanc.” The colors were chosen to represent his team, the Gators. The first 100 bracelets were ordered from an online company by Kurt’s siblings, who wanted to wait to sell them until they could deliver bands to their brother and parents at Children’s Hospital. On Nov. 1, Kurt’s family and teammates surprised him and his parents with the presentation of the bracelets.
Kurt’s sister, Emily Leblanc, general studies junior from Bourg, said that many people in the community helped out when they were in need.
Emily said her family pulled together during her brother’s time in the hospital. She said they would take turns sleeping by him.
“Everybody helped out,” Emily said, including her younger siblings. “The little kids grew up a lot by taking care of themselves. They really kept us going.”
Currently Kurt is working to complete his classes by taking online courses.
Kurt was told on Tuesday night that he would be going to the Super Bowl on behalf of Grant-A-Wish and state policeTroop C.
For more information on Kurt’s story, visit www.caringbridge.org.
