Caledonia — There are two prominent themes in senior Ty Lewandowski’s life story: sports and seizures.
This star baseball and hockey player was diagnosed with epilepsy — a neurological disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures — at age seven, but he was determined to never let it define him.
“Having epilepsy has been a challenge in my life,” Ty said. “I learn in a different way than other people and have to study more, but I’ve always had a growth mindset.”
Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the world, with one in 1 in 26 people diagnosed during their lifetime.
With epilepsy, Ty said he struggled to focus for long periods of time in school and would take more time than his classmates to learn certain concepts. He had a lot of questions about his condition when he was younger, but said his parents were always there for answers and support.
“I wasn’t sure what it was when I was young, but my parents were my heroes. They always knew what was going to happen,” he said. “Seizures are very scary, but my parents explained it to me and what I needed to do and take care of myself.”
Ty experienced several seizures during his first-grade year at Dutton Elementary, but his classmates and parents rallied to support and care for him.
“I worked closely with Ty’s mom and dad,” said Ty’s former elementary principal, Shawn Veitch. “He eventually got on medication and that helped, but at the end of the day, what matters the most to me is making sure that students are taken care of.”
As he was navigating the epilepsy diagnosis at Dutton, Ty’s love for playing sports never wavered, Veich recalled.
A family friend got Ty hooked on hockey at around five years old, a sport that would eventually allow him to travel around the midwest and develop close friendships with his teammates. And, inspired by his dad’s college baseball experience, Ty also fell in love with playing baseball.
Veitch said he used to tell Ty: “You have to be a good student to be a good student athlete … It all starts with academics.”
At Home on the Ice
During high school, Ty narrowed his focus to hockey, saying, “I wanted to be the best player to come out of Caledonia High School.”
When he was a freshman, he told the CCS athletic director that he was going to break the school’s hockey records and help the team make it to the state playoffs.
In his senior year, he achieved both goals and now holds the CHS records for most career goals and most career points in hockey.
Over the years, Ty has become more experienced with recognizing the signs of an impending seizure, though he still has to diligently take his medication twice a day. He said his teammates also supported him by checking in on him during practices and during games, while letting his skills and drive speak for themselves.
“My friends have really been there for me,” Ty said. “We take care of each other no matter what.”
Ty’s mom, Dana Lewandowski, calls her son “a truly remarkable kid with a drive and a no-excuse attitude.”
“He did all this while quietly fighting a disease that required timely medication doses twice a day. He’s always wanted to prove the doubters and naysayers wrong, that he’s stronger than (epilepsy), and indeed he is.
“The seizures tried to make Ty take two steps back, but instead he took five steps forward.”
The only member of his immediate family to play hockey, Ty said his mom, dad and two older sisters have been his biggest fans at the rink.
“At my highs and lows, my family always supports me,” he said.
Earlier this year, Ty committed to play hockey at Davenport University and he’s already planning to participate in team practices this summer. He hopes to pursue hockey professionally, but also plans to study business, just in case the Chicago Blackhawks don’t call his number.
“One thing the coaches love about Ty is his work ethic and drive to make the team better,” Lewandowski said. “We are very proud of him and look forward to watching him grow in the next stage of life.”
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