Courage.

A noun. By definition, it means “the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence and resolution; bravery.”

Too often words like “courage” and “bravery” are misused. They’re used to describe things pertaining to sports and athletes. Gutsy performances. Wanting to take the last-second shot to win the game. Standing in the pocket facing a blitzing linebacker.

But when we come back to reality, we realize that courage, in the true definition of the word, is none of these things. Courage is not T.O. going over the middle for a pass. And it’s not Joe Thornton positioning himself in front of a hockey net.

Courage, as best exemplified by a professional athlete, is New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi. In February, just three days after his first-ever Pro Bowl, Bruschi suffered a minor stroke. At 32-years-old, it easily could have been the end of most athletes’ careers.

Instead, Bruschi decided to fight. Getting himself in playing shape, Bruschi made his return to the football field Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills. Only nine months after his career seemed over, he’d made it back to play the game he loves. But not without an incredible amount of courage.

Courage in sports doesn’t have to be on a national stage. On the contrary, courage can be shown at any level and on any venue.

In high school, one of my close friends, Garrett, taught me more than anyone about courage. Garrett was good at everything – school, sports and anything else he wanted to do. He was number one on the tennis team and in our graduating class.

But one of his most shining characteristics was that no matter what, he was always modest – modest enough that even now I doubt he’d want his name used in the same sentence as the word courage.

Near the end of high school, Garrett was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s affects the small intestine and often results in blockage of the intestine. It can cause abdominal pain and weight loss, among other things. But Garrett, like Bruschi, didn’t let his problems hold him back. Tennis was too much of his life to give up just like that.

After high school, he went on to play tennis at the collegiate level for Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. Going to different schools and having different schedules, we talked less and less during the first year. The summer came around, but different things kept us too busy to really get to catch up.

Through friends and family, I recently heard that Garrett’s condition had gotten worse. When I got a chance to talk to him, he confirmed that he wasn’t doing so well. He told me he couldn’t keep food down and rarely slept through the night because of the pain. It hurt me to hear my friend was so miserable.

It brought me back to the athletes who make millions of dollars to go out and play a game. On the same day Bruschi returned to action, Isaac Bruce, the St. Louis Rams receiver, sat out due to “turf toe.” And Garrett, making nothing playing tennis for a college team, continued to struggle.

After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, America and the sports world were forced to redefine the word “hero.”

Where once a heroic performance could be found on a baseball diamond, it was soon found sorting through the remains of the World Trade Center.

In the same way, athletes like Garrett and Bruschi have forced me to redefine courage.

Courage.

A noun. By definition, it means “the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence and resolution; bravery. See: Garrett, Bruschi.”

Nathan Grimm is a sophomore in ALS. He can be reached at [email protected].