Posted November 20, 2025 in Press Releases
CLEVELAND, OH – Nov. 20, 2025 – 15-year-old Elyria High School basketball player Myles Grimmett is being recognized for his extraordinary perseverance and determination. Nearly a decade after undergoing a pioneering surgery at Cleveland Clinic that used a bone from his leg to reconstruct his arm following bone cancer, Myles will
receive the Jim Donovan Courage Award presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine at the 26th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, presented by Ancora and Minutemen Workforce Solutions, on Feb. 5, 2026, at Rocket Arena.
At age 5, Myles was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer located just below his right shoulder. His medical team at Cleveland Clinic — including orthopaedic surgeon Nathan Mesko, MD, plastic surgeon Graham Schwarz, MD, and pediatric oncologist Peter Anderson, MD — faced a difficult question:
amputate the arm or find a way to save both the limb and its function.
They chose innovation. Using a “free fibula transplant,” the surgeons removed most of Myles’ fibula — a nonweight-bearing bone from his leg — and transplanted it into his arm to replace the diseased portion of bone. The procedure, which preserved blood vessels and nerves, allowed the transplanted bone to grow and function as part
of his upper arm.
“The fibula is one of the redundant features of the body, so we can ‘borrow’ it when we need to,” said Dr. Mesko, section head of Orthopaedic Oncology at Cleveland Clinic. “It’s incredible what Myles has been able to do. If you’d asked me when he was 5 what would be possible for him, I couldn’t have imagined this.”
Following months of chemotherapy and a challenging recovery, Myles broke his reconstructed arm in an accident but recovered with resilience and determination. Over time, he adapted by learning to dribble and shoot basketball with his left hand. Today, Myles is a guard on the Elyria High School basketball team and plays for an
AAU travel league.
Aside from minor numbness in his left ankle, his leg functions normally, and his right arm continues to grow along
with the rest of his body.
Dr. Mesko keeps a drawing that Myles made when he was 5 — depicting the “journey” his fibula made from leg to arm — hanging in his office as a daily reminder of resilience and creativity in medicine. “Kids are incredibly resilient,” Dr. Mesko added. “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is finding creative ways to help them live full, active lives — just like Myles.”
Myles’ story and spirit will be celebrated publicly when he accepts the Jim Donovan Courage Award presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine, which is given annually to an athlete or individual who has demonstrated exceptional bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Tickets are now on sale for the 26th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards presented by Ancora and Minutemen Workforce Solutions. This premier annual fundraiser supports Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and celebrates a year of athletic achievements in Northeast Ohio from high school stars to professional athletes.
The evening will also include Cleveland celebrity emcees and special guest appearances, an exclusive pre-show reception featuring dinner stations, networking, open bar, silent auction, and much more. Following the reception, guests will be seated in the arena for refreshments and a fully produced awards program mirrored on the venue’s big screen. The live awards show will be followed by the After Party presented by Westfield.
To learn more about the 26th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, visit clevelandsportsawards.com. A digital toolkit is
available here.