As special as the team is, the person keeping track of the team’s success, Hannah Reyes, is even more inspiring.

Reyes, a Dunkirk senior, faces a battle each day with Multiple Sclerosis. She was recognized for her dedication to the program at Dunkirk’s final home game of the regular season on Wednesday against Allegany-Limestone. Both teams were included in a pregame ceremony that included a speech Reyes prepared.

Last March, Reyes’ life “flipped upside down without asking for permission.”

Reyes was living what she called “a pretty normal teenage life” until last year, when frequent headaches progressed to severe migraines, and numbness that necessitated hospital visits.

Hannah Reyes, left, was recognized prior to Dunkirk’s final home game, Wednesday, against Allegany-Limestone. Reyes, the team’s scorekeeper, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Reyes was diagnosed with Demyelinating Disease, a condition that damages the protective covering around nerves in the brain and spinal cord. She described it by stating her nervous system “decided to start buffering, like bad Wi-Fi at the worst possible time.”

After spending two weeks at Children’s Hospital and months of trips back and forth, Reyes was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The diagnosis came on the week of her birthday.

“Not exactly the birthday surprise I was hoping for. I would’ve preferred Starbucks cake pops,” Reyes said.

According to a study by the University at Buffalo, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) impacts 2.8 million patients worldwide. Western New York has among the highest rates of MS in the country, with more than 2,500 people with the disease.

Among 5 to 10% of MS patients experience severe symptoms that can sometimes result in complications leading to death. Even for the majority of patients that can manage the disease, it is not easy, nor will the daily struggle go away.

Every great team overcomes adversity on its way to greatness. Very few high schoolers are asked to conquer more than Reyes. A challenging defensive scheme, a high scoring player on the opposing team, or a long bus ride for a road game all seem minuscule to the Dunkirk players when they see the obstacles their own scorekeeper faces.

“I didn’t really know much about what she was going through until just prior to the season,” said K’vion Tell, Dunkirk’s leading scorer. “Seeing her get recognized was amazing to see.”

Reyes is the niece of Dunkirk head coach Sixto Rosario. Even after being diagnosed with MS, she still wanted to be part of the team as the scorekeeper. She sits at the scorer’s table and keeps the books for Dunkirk just as any other team’s scorekeeper does.

“She still wanted to be here with this team. She still wanted to go on the road,” Rosario said. “She has been with this team since she was young, and she wanted to be a part of it. That means a lot to the team. … To see her battle to come here, and go through all the medicine she has to take to get here, it means a lot to all of us.”

Reyes said that over the past year, some days have been better than others. She still battles migraines and weakness, sometimes to the point where she uses a wheelchair to get around the halls at school.

Still, she does not let her condition define her. Reyes said, “Needing wheels doesn’t mean I’ve stopped moving forward. I didn’t choose this journey. But I can choose how I walk – or roll – through it.”

From a family with deep ties to their faith, Reyes is no different. She said, “With God by my side, and with my family and friends supporting me, I choose faith over fear. I choose hope on the hard days. I choose love when things feel overwhelming.”

Reyes knows that her battle with MS will be a lifelong fight. She finds comfort in controlling the parts of her life that she can control, like her attitude, her courage, and the strength to not give in to the tough days.

“Life changed, but so did I,” Reyes said. “And I’m still here, still fighting, still hopeful.”