At first, everyone thought he was suffering from concussion symptoms. But Vadim Medish, the golden boy of St. Albans rowing who parlayed a sterling high school career into a spot on Harvard's team, was breaking down physically.
Medish, whom Coach Ted Haley attributed with playing a part in turning around the program before graduating in 2012, sat in a wheelchair to the side of the new boat engraved with his name. He suffers from an autoimmune disorder that has rendered him virtually incapacitated. As coaches and faculty spoke glowingly of Medish, his parents massaged his hair and fixed his St. Albans hat, occasionally stopping to center his drooping head.
“It’s very sad, especially with a man, a boy who had so much promise,” Haley said. “It’s a story of resilience and strength for a family who’s had to deal with this incredible situation.”
Haley said Medish now receives virtually 24-hour care and has been at hospitals in Boston and Baltimore. But on Saturday, he was back on the Potomac, where his presence loomed large.
St. Albans won its race easily, but not without some inspiration. Before the heat, Haley implored his team to race in honor of Medish. The motivation came in handy.
“In the middle, we took a big move in his honor,” coxswain Daisuke Shimada said. “Like 10 extremely hard strokes. . . . Think about what he’s done, and think about who we are as a team.”
Daniel de Castro, a senior, said he met Medish briefly his freshman year. By then, Medish had established himself as one of the program’s premier rowers. In fact, he helped St. Albans win the Stotesbury Cup in 2011.
Haley hopes his team finds success at Stotesbury this year, too. “That’s our ultimate goal for the season,” he said.
In the weeks to come, they’ll turn their attention toward knocking off rivals such as Gonzaga and St. Joes Prep.
That’s all in the future, though. Saturday was about Medish.
National Cathedral, which works in concert with St. Albans, took first in the girls' varsity eight with a time of 5:12.9. T.C. Williams took first in the boys' four final in 5:08.8, while Yorktown earned the win in the girls' four final in 6:01.1
