BYRON CENTER, Mich. — 15-year-old Bryce Permoda was looking forward to his first season on the Byron Center varsity hockey team this winter.
But on Friday morning, he was checked into the emergency room after becoming lethargic.
"His eyes were rolling back and his brain wasn't responding to questions so we did a cat scan of his brain to try to figure out what was going on up there," Bryce's mother Patty told FOX 17.
What was originally believed to be a brain bleed turned out to be a brain infection and required immediate surgery.
Doctors had to remove part of Bryce's skull and an abscess from his frontal lobe during a four-hour operation.
Bryce's brother, Blake DeVries says, "the hardest part is you just don't know, there's still so many unknowns still, you just don't know, so we'll see."
Now, the hockey community, not only around West Michigan but the United States, is rallying around Bryce and his family during this tough time.
"Being part of a hockey team, we have families from Wisconsin who have said from this team in Wisconsin we're praying for you and hoping for the best families in Mississippi that have shared it,"
shared Hannah Knott, Bryce's sister.
Bryce's teammates on the Byron Center hockey team organized a stick tap celebration outside the hospital on Saturday, with more than 100 players taking part. It was a gesture that touched the hearts of Bryce's family.
"I'm not usually an emotional person but was definitely crying and it's just amazing to see how many people came out and supported Bryce,"said Megan Jacobs, Bryce's sister.
In fact, a GoFundMe page setup by Bryce's sister had a goal of $15,000 to help with a few of the expenses and surpasses the goal in less than 24 hours.
If you would like to help the family, you can find more on the 'Bryce Permoda's Journey' Facebook page.
