Wayland's Abby Stoller won't let multiple sclerosis slow her down in lacrosse, life

BOSTON — Abby Stoller is determined to defy the odds.

The 23-year-old from Wayland was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information between the brain and body, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Even with the prognosis, the former Daily News All-Star for lacrosse says she won’t let the unpredictable disease stop her from living a normal, active life. Stoller continues to play lacrosse at Simmons University while pursuing her master’s degree in social work.

“MS messed with the wrong girl,” Stoller wrote in an Instagram post on March 24.

‘Why me?’

On Nov. 5, 2021, Stoller started experiencing numbness in her left foot.

The sensation then moved up the left leg of the 2017 Wayland High grad and to her left hand. Her perception was off. Stoller’s coordination was so out of whack that she could barely catch or throw a lacrosse ball.

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“It was really weird,” she said. “I wasn’t sure what it was.”

Stoller decided to go to the emergency room. Doctors eventually found a large lesion (abnormal tissue) in her brainstem. She stayed in hospitals for four weeks as she struggled with speech, balance and coordination.

“I was literally walking into walls,” Stoller said.

After countless tests, MRIs, infusions, steroids and a plasma exchange, Stoller was diagnosed with MS in December.

Nearly 1 million are living with MS in the United States, according to a study funded by the National MS Society. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, mood changes, memory problems, pain, fatigue, blindness and paralysis.

“At first I was just really upset, as anyone would be. Just scared about what that meant,” she said. “I didn’t know what my future was.”

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Doctors at Boston Medical Center put Stoller on one of the latest infusion drugs for MS. She’ll continue taking that medication for the rest of her life.

At first, Stoller was in complete denial about her diagnosis.

“I kept asking myself ‘Why me?’” she said.

“A little bit of woe is me,” said her mother, Kate. “It’s been a challenge for sure.”

Once Stoller posted her prognosis on Instagram last month, though, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

“She just had to let it out and let out all the emotions,” said her father, John. “She didn’t know what to tell people.”

“It wasn’t easy for her to share her story,” said Stoller’s youngest sister, Lilly (19). “I think just getting it out there is really therapeutic for her, in a way, so she can tell everyone that she’s OK and she’s doing so well. I know she’s doing better than any doctor said she would be doing. I’m so proud of her.”

Stoller still struggles with tasks like opening small things or cutting food, and her memory is a bit blurry.

She returned to the lacrosse field and classroom shortly after her diagnosis despite feeling numbness in her hands and feet when she plays lax or does school work. The former midfielder now plays attack because her body can’t handle the workload of playing both offense and defense.

Even with new hurdles to overcome; Stoller has come to terms with her diagnosis.

“I’m motivated to beat the odds,” Stoller said. “There are very few athletes who are competing with MS at a very-high level or at all.”

Currently, Stoller leads the Greater Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with 62 points (55 goals, 7 assists) across 11 games for Simmons. The Sharks are currently 9-2 this spring.

“It shows her true character and just how amazing she is and what she’s capable of,” said her younger sister, Jackie (22). “I can’t believe she’s back on the field and killing it.”

MS messed with the wrong girl

On Sunday, Stoller showed up at Boston University’s Nickerson Field for her first-ever Walk MS event.

The annual fundraiser features a 1- or 3-mile option for those who want to show support while raising money for MS research. Stoller and her family, friends and lacrosse teammates participated in the Walk MS around Boston. They raised over $20K.

Donate: To help find a cure for MS

“She’s positively a great kid,” said her grandfather, Fred Lerner. “There are very few people who would have the attitude that she has and come back and be so resilient.”

Said Stoller’s mother: “All you want is for her to be healthy and happy and she’s getting there. She’s going to get there.”

“I’m blown away by all the support,” Stoller said. “I can’t thank everyone enough for being here. It was a good day.”

Most of “Team Stoller” completed the three-mile loop while wearing black T-shirts with the words ‘Team Stoller’ and ‘#dontMSwithme’ printed on it. As Stoller crossed the finish line, she high-fived her sister, Jackie, and hugged her father.

“Truly one of the best days of my life,” said John as he held back tears.

Following the walk, Stoller traveled to New Hampshire and scored three goals in her team’s 11-2 win over Colby-Sawyer.

Stoller then boarded a flight out of Boston to Israel, where she will spend the week to secure a passport and become an Israeli citizen. This July, Stoller will represent Team Israel at the lacrosse World Championships in Baltimore.

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“I’m motivated to just live a normal life,” Stoller said. “I was upset to hear about the diagnosis, but I’m doing everything I can to not let it affect my life.”

Multiple sclerosis messed with the wrong girl.

(If you'd like to help Abby Stoller and other people with MS, please donate here.)

Tommy Cassell is a senior multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tcassell@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @tommycassell44.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Abby Stoller of Wayland won't let MS diagnosis slow her down