From the Sidelines to Center Court: Gavin Hubka’s Return After Open-Heart Surgery

Gavin Hubka was in the middle of a typical Minnesota summer when everything started to change. His family had been spending a lot of time outdoors – camping, hiking, just enjoying the season. That’s when his mom Sally noticed something strange about Gavin’s chest. It stuck out in a way that didn’t seem normal. They might not have caught it otherwise, but out in the open air with his shirt off, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

Her instincts were right. A visit to the doctor and an echocardiogram revealed that 14-year-old Gavin had Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissues. The diagnosis came slowly, over the course of several months, but when it was finally confirmed, it brought with it news that was hard to process – Gavin needed open-heart surgery.

At the time, he was playing football and running cross-country. Sports had always been a huge part of his life, especially basketball, and the idea of losing that was almost too much to bear.

“When I first found out, it didn’t really mean anything because I didn’t know what it was,” Gavin said. “But when I learned more, it became life-changing. I wasn’t allowed to do anything with exertion. No contact sports. No lifting. It was really hard.”

For the next three years, Gavin stayed on the sidelines, cheering on his teammates from the bench. He never missed a game. Through eighth, ninth, and tenth grade, he was there – attending every football and basketball game, every meet his brother ran in. Even when he couldn’t be on the court, he refused to disappear.

His dad, Jim Hubka, who had coached Gavin for years, called the diagnosis devastating. “Watching someone as talented as he was go through that … it was tough. Sports aren’t everything, but being able to enjoy them during your youth matters,” Jim said. “And we didn’t know what could’ve happened if Sally hadn’t caught it. She pushed to get him checked out. Thankfully, she did.”

A couple of years later when the doctors finally said Gavin had grown enough to safely undergo surgery, the family felt a strange mix of anxiety and relief. It was time. The morning of the operation came with a heavy stillness. “Everything felt normal until that day,” Gavin said. “Then it was like, oh – it’s happening today.”

The surgery was successful, but recovery would be another mountain to climb. Gavin spent six days in the hospital. The first few days, he could barely move. His chest ached constantly. For weeks afterward, he had to sleep upright in a recliner because lying flat or on his side caused too much pain. Little by little, he began rebuilding his strength – first walking around the house, then to the mailbox, then down the road. Within two weeks, he was walking the neighborhood.

At his three-week post-op appointment, he still couldn’t lift his arms over his head. But Sally asked the doctor a question that had been on her mind since the moment Gavin went under the knife: “When he can move again, can he play?”

The answer surprised them. “Yes.”

That was all Gavin needed to hear.

“I had a lot of friends that wanted me to start,” he said. “That really helped me get back onto the court.”

As his junior season approached, Gavin pushed himself to be ready. When the doctors officially cleared him – just three or four weeks before the season opener – he was out of shape, but determined. His endurance wasn’t where it used to be. He tired quickly. But he had the heart, in every sense of the word.

The first game was a whirlwind. Nerves coursed through him as he stepped onto the varsity court – his first game since seventh grade.

“I knew I was going to make it through,” he said. “But it was new. I was jumping straight to varsity after not playing for years. It was a big jump.”

His dad, now coaching from the sideline again, watched closely. “I was nervous,” Jim admitted. “But not as much as Sally.” It was in the second game of the season that Gavin took a charge – stepping in front of a player and taking the hit full-on. Both parents held their breath. Sitting next to Sally in the stands was the surgical nurse who had assisted in Gavin’s operation, whose own son played on the team. She sat with Sally during those early games, offering reassurance when the anxiety crept in.

Throughout his absence, Gavin had stayed deeply involved with the team as the student manager. “He was always hanging around the coaches, in every conversation,” Jim said. “He knew all the plays. So when he came back, it was natural for him to step in. He was immediately part of the rotation.”

Even an ankle injury couldn’t slow him down. Despite missing eight games this season, Gavin still finished as the team’s third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder. His presence was felt every time he stepped on the floor – not just in the stats, but in the spirit he brought to the game.

For Gavin, the return has been more than just a comeback. It’s been a celebration of everything he fought through.

“I was in love with basketball either way,” he said. “But after going through what I went through, it’s that much sweeter. I love the game.”

He knows this is likely his final season of competitive basketball. He doesn’t plan to play at the collegiate level. But he’ll keep playing for fun, and he’ll never forget the journey it took to get here.

“I’d just tell anyone else going through something like this – not to give up hope,” he said. “They said I probably wouldn’t play again. But I held onto faith. I just kept hoping I’d grow fast enough, get the surgery, and be back out there. And here I am.”

For his parents, the journey has reshaped how they view sports – and life.

“As a coach, I’ve seen kids go through injuries, broken bones, torn ACLs,” Jim said. “But now I look at it differently. Those things are easier to come back from. This – this was something else. It makes you realize how important it is that they’re here. Sports are great, but they’re not everything. We’re just thankful he’s here, and thankful Sally trusted her gut.”

Even in the toughest moments, Gavin never walked away from his team. He stayed. And now, as he races up and down the court for his senior season, he’s doing it with more heart than anyone can measure.