Scotty Moreau Leaves a Lasting Mark on Belmont Hill

Senior Scotty Moreau completed a tremendous wrestling campaign this winter, capturing the ISL title at his weight class (132 lbs.) and earning All League and All New England Honorable Mention distinctions. While these feats are in line with Belmont Hill’s tradition of wrestling excellence, Scotty’s performance is made all the more remarkable by the life changing event that occurred merely two seasons prior.

On November 20, 2023, during his sophomore year, Scotty began to lose vision in his right eye towards the end of an uneventful wrestling practice. He and his parents went to Mass Eye and Ear in Boston and by 10:00 p.m., doctors suspected he had suffered a stroke. The formal diagnosis process, which includes a comprehensive series of screenings and imagery, confirmed Scotty suffered a central retinal artery occlusion which caused him to permanently lose sight in his right eye. 

A medical event of this magnitude and the intensive recovery required can alter the path of anyone, particularly a high level student-athlete. But those who know Scotty best, know how his impact and interests go far beyond the wrestling mat. 

“Scotty is the kind of young man who simply lights up the room when he arrives. Even before his injury, there was not a single person in our community who did not know Scotty and smile when they saw him,” said Head Varsity Wrestling Coach Don Bradley. “He combines a rare blend of resiliency and cheerful, inclusive goodwill that makes even the youngest and the shyest of our students feel good about themselves.”  

Returning to campus life after the stroke required an incredible level of mental toughness which Scotty credits wrestling for instilling in him from a young age. “Ever since I was a little kid I've gone to Doughboy Wrestling Club in Lowell and the motto of the club is ‘no quit.’ So I've always had that mentality. It’s the mentality I keep towards things today,” Scotty said. “Just because you’re blind it doesn't mean that everything gets sidetracked in life.”

Perhaps the most challenging adjustment came in the classroom, as Scotty struggled to read at the same pace and with the same level of comprehension as prior to the stroke. English teacher Anna McDonald worked with Scotty as he experimented with different approaches to find which helped him the most. But even as Scotty adjusted to his new normal, he still made a lasting mark on his teachers and classmates. 

“Scotty is quite literally a bright spot on any day,” Mrs. McDonald said. “Even as he navigated the life-changing challenges of his injury, his unbounded energy and bubbling personality never dimmed. He has this rare talent for bringing an entire room together through laughter; he turned the classroom into a community where every subject felt fun. To witness him move forward with such grit, while still making sure everyone around him was smiling, has been nothing short of extraordinary.”

Scotty’s diligence in the classroom was mirrored by his continued attendance at wrestling commitments, despite not being able to actively participate. “Every weekend I'd always go with the team no matter where we were going. I’d travel to New Jersey, Prep Nationals in Pennsylvania–I was always there.” 

While wearing a heart monitor in those first months back, Scotty kept himself active to the extent that he could. For the majority of his sophomore year, that meant no more than a ten-minute run. “It was definitely hard to show up to practice every day and look at other guys wrestling and striving for the same goals you always strived for.”

But thanks to his work ethic and perseverance, Scotty was cleared to extend his run times and ease weight lifting back into his routine by February. As his teammates prepared for Prep Nationals a few weeks later, the culmination of their grueling season, Scotty began to lightly wrestle again.  

Through every milestone and setback during that sophomore season, the wrestling program rallied around one of their own. “They definitely were always looking out for me and making sure everything was going well,” Scotty said. “Mr. Bradley was the coordinator of it all. He was always there. Anything I needed, he would do.”

This support extended throughout the entire staff as each coach found their own way to be in Scotty’s corner. Throughout the season, Coach Todd Davis kept close contact with Scotty’s parents with weekly updates. Coach Dave Leonardis provided a valuable outlet for Scotty to talk through how he was adjusting to everything that had happened, or take his mind off of it entirely. 

“Mr. Leo was awesome,” Scotty said. “He’s the easiest guy to talk to and I could always talk about anything with him. I spent a ton of time in his room, not only talking about this but just hanging out.”

Coach Leonardis might have gotten just as much out of those visits as Scotty did. “Scotty has so much grit on the mat, but on top of that, he's such a fun kid,” coach Leonardis said. “He loves to engage, to talk, to debate, to share hot takes. I love to hear his laugh! In a world where most kids put on their earphones and look at their phones, Scotty wants to talk.”  

Heading into his junior year Scotty was eager for a return to normal, but a separated shoulder part way through the season added to the challenges of a year where he felt he struggled by his own standards. “I don’t want to blame that I didn’t wrestle for an entire year but it had something to do with it,” Scotty said with a laugh. Even with the adjustment period and additional injury, Scotty won the Graves-Kelsey Wrestling Tournament in his weight class and placed third at the Prep New England Championships. 

Thanks to Scotty’s spirit and leadership that season, he was voted by his teammates as one of the team captains for his senior year. Scotty took that responsibility to heart and saw it as an opportunity to set an example for the next crop of Belmont Hill wrestlers. “You always want to think kids are looking up to you but when you’re a captain they are literally looking up to you. Everything you do, kids are going to think about and try to follow so it’s more important to always demonstrate good character,” Scotty said. “You are devoted to something and now you get to help others get more devoted, too.” 

In the aftermath of his stroke, Scotty has found even more ways to leave a profound impact on others. Serving as a youth liaison for the International Alliance for Pediatric Stroke gave him the opportunity to share his experience. On campus, Scotty took on a leadership role organizing the annual “Party with a Purpose,” a student-led event raising money for Boston Children’s Hospital where Scotty spent time during his recovery. “I wanted to do that to give back to the kids,” Scotty said. “I kind of know what they’re going through. They’re probably going through a lot worse, but at least I’m helping in a way.” 

As part of Belmont Hill’s Senior Thesis program, Scotty has been researching pediatric strokes and the diagnostic challenges that arise in large part due to the incredible rarity of pediatric strokes. The exhaustive research process into the devastating potential of pediatric strokes has allowed him to reflect on his own journey. “I got lucky just being blind in one eye, the way I look at it,” Scotty shared. “You see some kids that can’t walk, they can’t talk. For me just to be blind after having a stroke, I look at it as a lucky kind of thing.”

This rare perspective and humility is part of what made Scotty's story an inspiration. At the highly competitive Beast of the East Wrestling Tournament, Scotty received the prestigious Sayer Rhys Evans Award which honors the former Wilmington police officer who served in the U.S. Marines and lost his life to suicide. This award recognizes a wrestler who has faced adversity and shown resiliency, while keeping a positive attitude, showing bravery, and remaining kind to all. This distinction was a fitting capstone to an incredible Belmont Hill career. 

Scotty will continue wrestling next year at Columbia University where he will no doubt inspire a new community.

“That a teenage boy, in the face of such adversity, could remain simultaneously so resilient, joyful, and caring for others is nothing short of remarkable,” coach Bradley said, “but that is Scotty Moreau.”