Previously diagnosed with Berkitsonphoma cancer, sophomore Matt Bodenrader has fully recovered from it, and ever since, you can hardly tell he was ever sick. For example, over the past summer, he took part in an 84 mile bike race from Sturbridge to Bourne.

“The ride was really tedious, and I thought it was really tough,” the sophomore stated. “I had to ride my bike 84 miles, and when riding that far, it is kind of difficult.”

As most would think this race would be very tough and tricky for Matt, there was a bit of a reward to riding in it. He was given the honor of riding with some of the wives of Red Sox players.

“It was cool that I was riding beside some of the wives of the Boston Red Sox. Although it was a bit embarrassing seeing them pass me and finish an hour before me,” the sophomore chuckled.

Bodenrader trained as much as he could before the race to get in the best shape as he possibly could. He would go on a usual 20 mile bike ride as much as he could or just ride from place to place.

“It was a bit difficult to train and I was on a tight schedule at the time. I was involved in a summer baseball league, and it was summer. But I still was able to get the time in to ride a couple miles each day.”

The day of the race, Bodenrader was a bit nervous, but come the start of the race, he was able to go the distance, and finish the race.

“For about the first 10 miles the whole pack of people starts off slow. But after that people started to branch off. There were points where I was ready to collapse, but when riding by my family and friends, I felt enthused.”

After a grueling 84 mile course, Bodenrader crossed the finish line in one piece. His goal was accomplished, and the feeling he felt inside was “indescribable.”

One of Matt’s friends and supporters, sophomore Billy Collins said, “He trained hard and achieved his goal.”

Looking back, Bodenrader knows he did a good thing, and said,“It was a strange feeling looking back and knowing that I rode 84 miles, and survived. It was an emotional day, and made me feel good inside.”

From once having cancer to riding a bike race, Matt does it all, including playing 3 sports here at THS. He knows that he is very lucky to have been able to walk away from cancer, and doesn’t take anything for granted.