CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- He is the first one of the bench and plays his role extremely well. The fact that Matignon High's Mike Kelley is even in a uniform is a tale of perseverance and courage.

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When he was a freshman, Kelley was hit by an out-of-control automobile while sitting on a park bench in Charlestown. He was dragged about 30 feet after impact and spent five weeks in the hospital.

"I've had 19 operations in a year and a half," Kelley said. "I just didn't want to have to depend on other people. I had to depend on other people for a year and a half. I couldn't do anything on my own."

He tried to come back to the basketball team too soon his sophomore year. The pain was too severe, and he required more care. By his junior year, however, he made the varsity team. This year, he is their leader.

"He's the heart and soul of the team," coach Joel Burke said. "He's a senior, and five underclassmen start. It doesn't faze him. He comes into the game, no problem diving on the floor for loose balls. Giving up his body for the team, working hard, playing hard, and it's a great example for any young kid."

"We ended up having a good year this year," Kelley said. "We made the tournament, and I'm lucky I'm even playing."

Kelley said that his experience has given him some perspective on going forward during life's darkest times.

"Don't let anyone count you out," he said. "Anything can happen. As bad as it is, there's always a chance you can get better from it."

High 5, a weekly look at a Massachusetts high school athlete, is in its 17th year of providing Channel 5 viewers an in-depth look at one of the Bay State's finest. Check here every week to see who Mike Lynch picks to win this week's award.