Page 29 - 2025 Impact Awards

Thomas A. Brady Comeback Thomas A. Brady Comeback

Awards Awards

The Thomas A. Brady Comeback Awards honor both male and female student Tilmon Black is a multi-sport athlete whose high school years were defined by
athletes at the high school level from Indiana who have distinguished themselves resilience. A dirt bike crash during his freshman year tore his ACL, sidelining
by overcoming adversity or injury and returned and excelled beyond expectations in him from football and wrestling indefinitely. After months of intense therapy and
their respective sports. rehab, he was finally returning to form - only to re-tear the same ACL during
gym class. Another surgery followed, more rehab, and another missed football
Known as the father of sports medicine in central Indiana, Dr. Thomas A. Brady
spent his evenings and weekends attending sporting events and treating athletes on season. Despite the setback, Tilmon returned to the wrestling mat his junior
the sidelines. He was especially dedicated to high school athletes, recognizing that year, stepping into a varsity spot 20 pounds above his weight class. Wrestling
proper treatment of their injuries could mean the possibility of attending college on with a bulky leg brace and often giving up 20-30 pounds per match, he battled
an athletic scholarship. For that reason, he made himself available to see any injured both pain and size mismatches but still came out strong, pinning his first three
athlete at a moment’s notice, including on weekends. Despite a busy private ortho- opponents of the season in under 45 seconds. In the next few weeks, he made
pedic practice, you could find Dr. Brady traveling all over the city for Friday Night multiple podium appearances and proudly served as a team captain of the
Football games to ensure that all athletes received proper medical care. Eventually, squad. But complications struck again - knee swelling, hardware rejection, and
Dr. Brady opened a walk-in clinic in the basement of Methodist Hospital, where he a cyst led to yet another surgery. Most would’ve given up, but Tilmon doubled
treated injured athletes at no charge. The need for sports-specific orthopedic care be- down on rehab and training. He was determined to make a comeback for his
came so great that Dr. Brady, along with Dr. John McCarroll, Dr. Art Rettig, and Dr.
Donald Shelbourne, opened the first sports medicine clinic in Indiana: Forté Sports senior year. Even though he wasn’t cleared yet, Tilmon was showing up to open
Medicine and Orthopedics. mats, working on technique, and building back his strength day by day. He
designed his own diet and trained with incredible discipline, always keeping the
At the time of his retirement, Dr. Brady was an orthopedic consultant to 16 public big picture in mind. Once officially cleared, Tilmon earned the starting varsity
high schools, five Catholic high schools, and one private school in Indianapolis. He spot at 165lbs and was voted team captain after his peers witnessed his relent-
was also a consultant for the teams at DePauw University and Indiana Central less work ethic. Then came another devastating blow: a severe concussion in
College (now known as the University of Indianapolis). practice, followed by a shoulder MRI that revealed a torn labrum and chronic
bone obtrusion. He was benched for the remainder of the season, unable to
As a result of his dedication to injured athletes and his availability to them, Dr. train or compete. Yet, in true Tilmon fashion, he didn’t give up. Tilmon stayed
Brady, Dr. McCarroll, Dr. Rettig, and Dr. Shelbourne became widely interested in
research and developed many innovative techniques for safely returning injured with the team, coaching, motivating, and leading with heart. Though he didn’t
athletes to sports sooner than previously thought possible. In 2004, the Forté finish his senior season on the mat, he found strength in mentorship. “This
Orthopedic Research Institute, formerly Methodist Sports Medicine Research & isn’t how I planned it,” he says, “but God had other plans. No matter how many
Education Foundation, was established. The mission is dedicated to supporting and struggles we face, we have to persevere.”.
enhancing the surgeons and physicians’ research, education, outreach, and care
initiatives at Forté Sports Medicine and Orthopedics. On May 15, 2024, Charlotte Vinson’s life changed in an instant. Rushed to Ri-
ley Children’s Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma, she was hooked
up to three life support machines as her body battled septic shock. Doctors
gave her a slim chance of survival. But after 30 harrowing days in the hospital,
Charlotte defied the odds and turned a corner. Told she’d need months of rehab
and might never play volleyball again, she took those words not as limits, but
as a challenge. Her determination pushed her to leave the hospital ahead of
schedule and get back on the court just three months after being discharged.
But Charlotte’s return to volleyball wasn’t just about personal recovery, it was
about showing up for her team. Even while still sick and unable to play in the
first 10 games of her varsity season, she never missed a practice or match. From
the bench, she coached underclassmen, helped them adapt to the varsity envi-
ronment, and cheered louder than anyone. Charlotte demonstrated unwavering
sportsmanship and ethical leadership, choosing to lift others up even when she
was physically down. The driving force behind her recovery wasn’t glory, it was
her team. She wanted to help them win and to contribute in any way she could.
Eventually, she returned to competitive play – not yet at full strength, but full
of heart. She helped lead her team to a state runner-up title and, in an incred-
ible full-circle moment, was named Indiana’s Ms. Volleyball. From coma to
Tilmon Black Charlotte Vinson comeback, Charlotte’s story is one of resilience, grit, and the powerful impact of
Parke Heritage Yorktown putting team above self.

28 IHSAA Foundation Impact Awards IHSAA Foundation Impact Awards 29