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The Inspiring Story Of Matthew McClish

Foley

The Memorial Tournament Wednesday hosted its ninth annual Legends Luncheon to support advances in pediatric care and research at Nationwide Children's Hospital. 

The event led by tournament founder and golfer Jack Nicklaus raised more than $1.4 million. Nicklaus also presents a special award each year to honor a patient or family's courage.   

18-year-old Galloway native Matthew McClish experienced seizures since the second grade. When he turned 11, doctors diagnosed McClish with epilepsy and discovered a brain tumor. Despite multiple surgeries the next few years, McClish became a good high school golfer, earning all-county honors his sophomore season. But in the fall of his junior year, he had a stroke during his final surgery and woke up paralyzed on the left side of his body

"It scared me because I was an athlete, and just knowing that I'm not going to be able to be the athlete I used to be," McClish reflected. "Learning how to walk again was the hardest. I lost a ton of weight, like 40 to 50 pounds. I was just skin and bone really."

What he may have lacked in strength and weight at the time, McClish more than made up for with a determination to be the kid he used to be before the surgery. He spent the next several weeks at Nationwide Children's Hospital, with 10-hour rehab sessions six days a week.  

"Waking up hitting that road block, I had to find a different road to get around it and get out of the hospital," McClish said. "I did do that, and I wouldn't be here without the drive to get out and get back to normal."

That included the sport he loved. 

"Then I got up the courage to start swinging a golf club with one arm," McClish said. "I was able to play one match my senior year, and it was amazing. I went up to the first tee, and I couldn't even put the ball on the tee. I was smiling and about to cry. I put so much work into doing this, so I was proud of myself and others were too. I've been treated like family throughout everything I've been through. Nationwide Children's is why I'm here. They were so uplifting and helpful. They did all they could to help me get back to walking and everything. Then receiving this award is exactly the same. Jack Nicklaus picked me. Meeting Jack and Barbara again and a lot of other people, I felt at home and like family. I'm really fortunate for the ones I have around me." 

That includes his younger siblings Jeff and Megan. 

"It's amazing how much he's come through," Jeff said. "To know that people care about this stuff and invite us to these things. We get to meet all these amazing people and see what they do. It's pretty cool."

"It's amazing how he never stopped persevering through everything, and that people take the time out of their day to look at his story and put their time into him too," Megan said. 

For Jack Nicklaus, who's experienced numerous special moments on the golf course, giving back whether through his Memorial Tournament or this related annual luncheon means more.   

"I loved making putts and hitting long drives and winning golf tournaments," Nicklaus reflected. "But that was basically for me and my family. This is far more important to me and far more important than a four-foot putt to me. I don't think about four-foot putts anymore. I think about kids, and there's help needed from all directions. We have put ourselves into position, through making four-foot putts, to be able to help others."     

The more than $1.4 million dollars raised at this year's luncheon brings the nine-year event total to almost $8 million. Matthew McClish plans to attend Wright State to study interior design.  

Mike Foley joined WCBE in February 2000, coming from WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. Foley has worked in various roles, from producing news and feature stories to engineering Live From Studio A sessions. A series of music features Foley started in 2018 called Music Journeys has grown into a podcast and radio show. He also assists in developing other programs in WCBE's Podcast Experience. Foley hosts The Morning Mix, a weekday music show featuring emerging and established musicians, our Columbus-area and Ohio-based talent, and additional artists that inspire him.