Beloved Bidwell
Longtime Saegertown teacher Scott Bidwell to be honored
By Alex Topor
MEADVILLE TRIBUNE
Scott Bidwell’s life changed forever when he was 15 years old.
Bidwell was a sophomore on the Saegertown Junior-Senior High School football team. During a routine kickoff he was hurt making a tackle and broke his C4 and C5 vertebrae. Bidwell has been paralyzed ever since.
His paralysis has never dampened his outlook on life or hindered his ability to change the lives of his students.
On Friday, 34 years and five days since his injury on September 19, 1987, Bidwell will be honored at the Saegertown football home-opener for his dedication to Saegertown students.
Bidwell, 49, recalls the afternoon at Lakeview High School when he was injured.
“It was the third quarter of a rainy game on a kickoff. I was what they called a killer, so I go wherever the ball goes and I don’t worry about any gaps. I saw the guy coming and he tried to juke and I slide in the mud when I tackled him,” Bidwell said. “A lot of people say I tackled him wrong, but I remember my head being up the way it should be. As soon as I hit him, I went rolling. When I came to a stop I could feel the rain hit me in the face.
“My buddy tried to help me up and said ‘good tackle.’ I saw my arm pads, but couldn’t feel them. I knew right then I broke my neck.”
Bidwell was flown from the field to Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie. He spent the next several months rehabbing and recovering.
Hits close to home
Denise Robinson was at the game and witnessed the injury. Robinson and Bidwell attended the same church and have been friends since they were both young.
“I watched the helicopter land on the field. You can watch movies where things like that happen, but when you’re from a small town, you just never think something like that can happen,” Robinson said. “It’s surreal when it hits close to home.”
Bidwell was able to return to school with about one month left in his sophomore year. He graduated from Saegertown in 1990 and enrolled at Edinboro University.
“I went to major in computer science, but I couldn’t stand sitting behind a computer because I’m a people person,” Bidwell said. “I decided since I had all my math credits from computer science I would go into teaching.”
After working as a substitute teacher in the PENNCREST School District for four years, Bidwell finally got a full-time position at Saegertown Junior-Senior High.
The Saegertown native was a favorite among his students. He was even known to bring students onto his racing team, B1D. Bidwell owned a stock-car for more than 20 years but sold the enterprise in early 2021.
“He’s taken so many kids under his wing that may have fallen through the cracks and brought them onto his racing team,” Robinson said. “They might not have amounted to what they have today without him.”
Bidwell worked as a math teacher until Feb. 7, 2020, when he retired due to health issues.
“I’ve had a trying time the past seven months. My mind is great, so I’m just waiting on my body to catch up,” Bidwell said. “I retired because I couldn’t go back. I didn’t want to keep them waiting on me.”
Honoring Bidwell
Robinson has been by Bidwell’s side since retirement, through his recent health battle and long before. She’s worked as his personal care attendant for more than 11 years, but has been close to him and his family for much longer.
“I cherish our friendship because he’s such a positive person and positive influence. I thank God daily for his friendship,” Robinson said. “You would never guess the things he’s been through. He is an inspiration.
“I’ve never met someone with a disposition like his. I have said it a thousand times, he’s made me a better person. Being friends with him and being around him has given me a better outlook on life.”
Robinson brainstormed ways to honor her friend over the past several months.
“Our community has never done anything for him since he was injured and I think, why haven’t we? He’s been a tremendous teacher and a presence at many sporting events for years,” Robinson said. “We failed him and he deserves more than that. I want to make sure this community never forgets him.”
Bidwell had his No. 27 football jersey retired and it was hung in a hallway at the high school. The jersey was stolen several years ago.
“I want generations to remember No. 27 and Scott Bidwell was a great role model and great person that did a lot for this school and community. I decided to make it my mission to make sure that happens.”
The project
Robinson wasn’t sure how to accomplish her mission, but she wanted it to involve football, one of Bidwell’s favorite things. She met with PENNCREST Superintendent Dr. Timothy Glasspool, Saegertown High Principal Tom Baker and head football coach Jim Wolfgang in early June where she formulated a plan.
The field house at the football field had fallen into a state of disrepair. Among the myriad issues were water-damaged carpets, a broken window and drywall that needed replacing. Robinson set up a GoFund-Me on June 4 to help raise money for the project.
Within the first 72 hours more than $5,000 was donated.
“Our community has never fallen short when it comes to raising money or doing things for people,” Robinson said. “That’s the love and support I could count on from my community. I was astounded by the generosity shown in such a short amount of time.”
The GoFundMe closed on July 31 with a total of $18,870 raised for renovations.
Robinson, her husband Rob, and several other volunteers spent August hard at work. They repainted the outside of the field house, deepcleaned the home and away bleachers and made several other upgrades to the facilities. The football staff took care of improvements to the interior of the field house.
Everything needed to be done in time for the original home-opener set for Sept. 3. It was canceled due to COVID-19, but the improvements will finally be unveiled at 6 p.m. Friday.
“It’s pretty cool. I put a lot of time in over there,” Bidwell said. “I want to tell people thanks for the donations and for what they did. I’m thankful for everybody that helped me along the way and for all the prayers.”
Bidwell’s mother, Chris, is also thankful for the Saegertown and Meadville communities.
“They say it takes a village. In this case it has taken two or three to get Scott back to better health,” Chris said. “I’m just thankful that both communities have helped him through a tough time.”
One thing is for certain, no one in Saegertown will forget Bidwell or his contributions to the community over the last 25 years.
His name will be on the field house and associated with the football team for years to come.