Seven months ago, Joe Gaffney’s future in competitive sports seemed finished. The Charlevoix senior was traveling with his school’s golf team when a fleeing driver deliberately crossed the centerline on M-115 in Benzie County. The head-on collision left the team with serious injuries.

Gaffney’s body absorbed catastrophic damage. His diaphragm ruptured. His pelvis shattered into pieces. Doctors spent 10 hours reconstructing his pelvis with over 70 screws. He spent nine days in the ICU. Medical staff called his survival remarkable.

On December 3, 2025, Gaffney walked onto the Charlevoix basketball court for his senior season opener. He started the game. He scored six points on two three-pointers. His team rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat Ellsworth 50-45.

The recovery timeline seemed impossible. Gaffney remained non-weight-bearing for 10 weeks after surgery. Once cleared on July 9, he progressed from crutches to a cane in 48 hours. His family knew he was chasing something bigger than walking. Seven weeks at the Barwis Sports Performance facility in Deerfield Beach, Florida, changed everything. Four hours daily. Forced reps. Extra sets.

“I was there for four hours a day, usually. They made me do the reps. They made me do the extra sets. I’ve never been so sore,” Gaffney said. “I can’t get myself to be that sore on my own.”

Gaffney was part of the Charlevoix boys golf team traveling back from the Traverse City Junior Golf Association 2-Day Invitational when the crash happened. He had competed in the first round alongside his teammates. But golf was never his primary passion. While the April crash involved the golf team, Gaffney’s heart belonged to a different sport entirely.

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Joe Gaffney’s basketball dream fuels miraculous comeback

Basketball had been Gaffney’s passion since age five. The all-state guard dreamed of playing college basketball. The emotional weight of December 3rd came from reclaiming what mattered most. The Charlevoix gym was packed tight for the season opener. Students held signs. When introductions began, Gaffney’s name came last. The building erupted. Then the tears came.

“I didn’t think I was going to cry,” Gaffney admitted. “Then I just got into that moment, and it felt nice to be back, felt nice after everything that I was there, and I was OK.”

Once the game started, Gaffney became a basketball player again. With 7:36 left in the third quarter, he launched his first shot of the season. Nothing but net. The crowd went wild.

“The crowd went crazy, and he had the biggest smile on his face, so it was just good to see him smile and see him do something he loves that he’s put so much time into,” coach Anthony Troshak said.

His second three-point attempt rimmed out. His third splashed through. Six points total in a five-point win. Gaffney won’t claim credit. He praised the teammates who pressed late. He admits he doesn’t move like before. “I kind of play like I’m 50 and I’m at the YMCA,” he joked.

But he’s out there. Troshak never expected Gaffney on the floor this season. Gaffney’s attitude shifted everything.

“At the beginning, right after the accident, I wasn’t so sure,” Gaffney said. “Then as we got closer, I kind of knew it was going to happen.”

The big celebratory moment is over now. “Now it’ll be nice to just play basketball,” he said.

The Charlevoix community will talk about Joe Gaffney and those six points for a long time. Not because they were spectacular shots. Because they proved the impossible remains within reach.