R.I.P William Keenan

It is with deep sadness we share the passing of Legendary Rockland resident William “Billy” Keenan. Billy was a soldier, paratrooper, triathlete, surfer, musician, high school history teacher at North Rockland, father, and husband. On September 14th, 2013, his life suddenly took a horrific turn when he was in a surfing accident that left him instantly paralyzed. In his memoir, Keenan brings the reader on a journey with him from the very start of his successful career to the present. With perseverance and great support, Keenan was able to gain independent breathing, something that his medical team did not think was possible. “Once I could breathe, I knew I could teach,” said Keenan. He returned to teaching in 2015, with the support of his teaching assistant, Sue Segalbacher. In March 2017, Keenan got very sick, and his life was almost taken by a severe UTI. After being in a coma for 72 hours, Keenan was given the news by his doctor that he had to retire from his teaching career shortly after in June 2017. Out of another horrible situation, and desperation, he then found inspiration. Billy knew he had a purpose, and he kept his faith strong. By September 2017, his new journey of sharing his story began. Keenan’s story exemplifies the importance of never giving up while enduring any type of tribulation that life may throw at you. He courageously advocated for his rights in recovery, while seeing a way forward past his suffering. “If I could find a way forward, given this, you could likely find a forward too,” said Keenan.

Photo: RCT Reporter Jess Warren (left) interviewing Keenan about his novel “The Road to Resilience. The Billy Keenan Story.”