Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in hockey. Kirby Oswald didn't get to the pinnacle of the hockey world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions one time each week, followed by the usual homework for someone in sixth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his gut in two places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my gut, and then my bunny died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my abdomen. It took two blinks of an eye to get back in shape. But to win at hockey is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my mask and forget about Larry, my bunny."
Millicent, his grandma, moved with him to Rochester to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, Billy, in their fresh closet, where he still labors as a rock musician to help pay for Kirby's expensive training.