NAMPA — Northwest Nazarene senior infielder Abby Gagnon has been an inspiration for everyone who knows her as she endures the toughest stage of her life.
On the morning of March 1, Gagnon suffered a seizure. Her roommate and teammate, Sidney Booth, was there when she experienced it. Booth called head coach Rich Wagner, who rushed to her aid at their residence.
About a week later, Gagnon was diagnosed with epilepsy. It’s a brain condition that causes recurring seizures. A person can have seizures but not be diagnosed with epilepsy. About 1 in 25 people worldwide are diagnosed with epilepsy.
But it hasn’t slowed her down from performing at a top level on the diamond.
Once she was medically cleared to play, she was back to doing what she does best, playing softball. A career .293 hitter in five seasons with the Nighthawks, the Meridian native is batting .365 at the plate with 21 RBI this season. Since suffering her first seizure, she is batting .368.
Just seeing her back on the field was inspiring on its own. To continue swinging the bat well and making an impact on the field has only further helped in the healing process.
“One of her first games back she got a hit right away,” Booth said. “I wanted to cry. I was so happy for her. It’s great to see her push through because she’s the hardest worker I know. She wants to practice and play all the time. When she gets that chance it’s awesome to see that.”
Wagner has accompanied her on visits to the doctor and consults with the athletic trainers before deciding to play her. Ultimately, it’s Abby’s decision to make whether she plays or not, which she has in 14 of 20 games since her diagnosis.
But her return to the field and recovery process hasn’t come without bumps along the way. Wagner said she suffers about two seizures per week. It’s an ongoing battle that Gagnon and everyone around her are starting to learn more about.
“The team has created an environment for Abby to figure out what’s going on and try to get through the hardest time of her life,” Wagner said. “Not knowing what the future looks like, not knowing why these are happening. Her teammates have created an environment where it’s ok if it happens. We’re there for her.”
Abby experiences seizures when around the team. As a little over a month has gone by since her diagnosis, the team is becoming more aware when she suffers a seizure and has a better idea on how to act when she goes through one.
The best way they treat her is to give her all the emotional support she needs and to let her know what’s happening to her body is nothing to be ashamed about.
“It is frightening when a seizure happens, but supporting them emotionally is just as important as supporting them physically,” Wagner said. “Seizures are the body going through some stuff, but typically they don’t feel it. Making sure we’re supporting them emotionally when they come out of it is one of the biggest things we want to make people aware of.”
A person can recover from a seizure fairly quickly, but varies by each case. Wagner said Abby recovers in about five to 10 minutes. But with the safe and welcoming environment the team has created, it isn’t long before Abby is back to her normal self.
“It could be 10 minutes afterwards, Abby never changes as far as her smile,” Wagner said. “She’ll have a seizure and she’s smiling within 10 or 15 minutes. Cracking jokes, trying to make everyone feel good. She’s an amazing kid.”
While she does her best to recover from each seizure, it’s an ongoing struggle with visits to the doctor and daily medication. Through all of it, she continues to thrive on the field with a greater outlook on each day.
“It’s been tough because the pills have made me act a little different sometimes. They’re putting me on edge a little bit,” Gagnon said. “It’s made me realize I can’t take (each day) for granted. I’ve never really thought of it that way anyways, but it’s a reality check.”
This weekend, the team is hosting a fundraiser during their four game series with Western Oregon to help cover her medical expenses and raise awareness for epilepsy. A online store has been set up to purchase apparel and other items with an #AbbyStrong logo to show support. They want to show that Gagnon is proof that you can live a normal life and do the things you love while battling epilepsy.
“To see her be able to bounce back and use the softball field as an opportunity to have a release and a safety zone, is awesome,” Wagner said. “At the same time, we hope that it inspires people to understand you can live a normal life. That’s the whole goal, helping her live a normal life.”
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