LaVonte Bouie cherishes every moment he performs on the mat for the Roughies or with the Catty marching band.

He once thought the chances would never come again.

Over the past year, the junior, who wrestles at heavyweight, has battled through a series of health problems, ones that nearly ended his high school career.

It began in July 2017 when he began experiencing a series of chest pains and it eventually sidelined him for the football season. However, he was allowed to perform in the marching band.

Fortunately, Bouie was cleared for the wrestling season, and he recorded a sixth-place finish in districts with an overall 14-14 record.

Unfortunately, those chest pains returned and Bouie was forced to miss the track season.

“It started again at the end of wrestling season,” said Bouie. “I had the chest pains again and I missed track. At times, I would get depressed because I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do.”

Bouie appeared to be on back on track in early summer until he was on his way to his cousin’s birthday party in July.

“I started to have a funny feeling and then I had a seizure in the back of my mom’s car,” said Bouie. “From there, things didn’t get any better for a while. Every time I started to move forward there was something that set me backward.

“I had four seizures in a week and they took me to the hospital. It was really depressing. But I knew that I couldn’t give up on myself.”

Bouie again missed the football season and saw numerous doctors. He was cleared to wrestle in November, but his career, again, was short-lived.

His wrestling career again was sidelined in December as doctors told him to halt activities.

“I told them (doctors) that I was cleared earlier and that I should be able to wrestle,” said Bouie. “I was upset and angry. I knew I could wrestle.”

A few weeks late, fate reversed its course for Bouie. Before the Roughies match against Southern Lehigh Dec. 12, Bouie was cleared to participate.

It was a day he’ll never forget.

“My mom came to school and she had the biggest smile on her face,” Bouie recalled. “She had been with the doctors for several hours and they cleared me. “She had a doctor’s note in her hand and she couldn’t be happier. Everything in my world seemed right again. I knew I had to keep going, but it was tough. Life kept breaking me down.

“Now I knew I could wrestle again and be a complete person.”

Bouie began this week with an overall 6-2 mark. He realizes his overall persona isn’t complete.

“I know it will take some time to get all the way back,” said Bouie, who began wrestling in seventh grade. “Overall, I feel good, but I’m not back totally to the old me. But, I am getting there.”

Head coach Joe Russo understood his plight and is just happy to see him back on the mat.

“He’s someone you just have to root for because he’s such a kindhearted person,” said Russo. “Getting him back was a huge momentum boost for the team.

“When he hits the mat, you can feel the excitement.”

Bouie also was grateful for the chance to reunite with his team.

“My team is my family, too,” said Bouie. “They had my back and each of them supported me. They helped give me the chance to get back and helped me handle everything.

“They have been great. It was a difficult time and now I can look ahead.”

As he does, Bouie will truly live each moment.