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NCAA.com | August 22, 2018

UIndy WR Ryan Topper's heroism goes beyond the DII football field

DII Football: Top Plays from Week 9

Gregg Doyel of the Indy Star captured an incredible tale of heroism in his story "My boy Brock". The story is about Ryan Topper, a University of Indianapolis wide receiver who repeated those words while holding his friend's neck in place. 

Topper had a quiet season in 2017, his freshman year with the Great Lakes Valley Conference champion Indianapolis Greyhounds. He had just two receptions for 17 yards, albeit one was for a touchdown. That's a far cry from his high school playing days, where he set his school record in his senior season with 29 touchdowns.

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While his on-field abilities should warrant him more playing time in 2018, it was his offseason heroics that really tells the story of who Ryan Topper the person is. On a cold and icy January 12 night near Bremen, Indiana, Topper and his friends were heading to the lake when the truck trailing him suddenly disappeared. That truck, consisting of Brock Meister and several other friends had slid off the road. Meister was dragged through a cornfield as the truck was turned onto its side. Topper sat, holding his friend Meister until the paramedics arrived, simply saying, "My boy Brock," to calm him down.

Later, he found out holding him was what saved his boy Brock's life.

Meister had suffered from "internal decapitation". Topper sat, cradling his best friend's head, and in essence, kept him alive. The story doesn't end there, however. 

Later that summer, Brock was, amazingly, fully healed. One summer day on the lake, his brother was on a jet ski that exploded, throwing him into the water. Brock dove in and pulled Collin to safety, later to find out he was the only reason his brother was alive. Indirectly, Topper had saved another life.

 

 

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