Football Player’s Battle with Cancer Inspires San Antonians
SAN ANTONIO — Bryce Wisdom grew up in a football family. His oldest brother Sean was a standout at Judson High School and went on to play in college at Houston. His other older brother, Rashad, also starred at Judson and is now playing at UTSA. Despite not being the most physically imposing guy, Wisdom was following in the football footsteps.
“He was short, but, you know, he was good also,” says Kamron Scott, a longtime friend and lineman at Judson. “It doesn’t matter how tall you are, just, you know, how much heart you got.”
Wisdom’s family says that he played with no fear and that he loved when people underestimated him.
“If you told him to go run through that wall or go run through that running back, he would go do it with no questions asked,” says Rich Wisdom, Bryce’s father.
After watching his brothers play for traditional football power Judson, it was now Bryce’s turn to step on the field for the Rockets. In the spring before his junior year, everything changed instantly for Bryce and the Wisdom family. In March of 2019 Bryce Wisdom texted his mother that he had gone to the bathroom and it had come out all red. He was immediately taken to the hospital.
“They came back in and told us that he had a massive tumor in his kidney,” says Diana Wisdom, Bryce’s mother. “I’ll never forget it. Never forget it.”
Bryce Wisdom was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor, a rare form of kidney cancer. He was now in for a fight for his life and he approached what was in front of him with pure positivity.
“He was a joyful person like he never had cancer,” says Davion Wilson, a longtime friend and receiver for Judson. “He was always smiling and laughing at me and goofy, like he never had it.”
Bryce Wisdom’s jersey (Travis Recek/Spectrum News)
Bryce Wisdom’s cancer went into remission in August of 2019 and he rang the bell at the hospital with that diagnosis. But just a few weeks later the cancer was back and was spreading through his body. As he continued to fight, his story began to resonate throughout the Judson community and across all of San Antonio.
“He showed joy while fighting cancer and I think that’s what people found so intriguing,” says Diana Wisdom. “Like he’s so happy to have cancer. What the heck?”
While Bryce Wisdom kept smiling and pushing forward, the cancer wouldn’t go away. This summer he was scheduled to take a trip to Seattle for a clinical trial. The diehard Seahawks fan was then headed to Los Angeles where a lot of special activities had been set up for him. He never got to make that trip. On a weekend in late July, Bryce Wisdom was laying around the house in a lot of pain. The family called the EMS and they said he was able to get up, get himself together and walk out the door. When they got to the hospital, the news was crushing.
“The doctor came in and told me, Bryce is dying. So you need to call your husband or call whoever it is that you want to have up here so you guys can be with him,” says Diana Wisdom.
The family was able to get there and spend their final moments with Bryce Wisdom.
“We prayed over him and then he woke up and says, I feel awesome. I feel great. Nothing hurts anymore. Then he told us, I have to go now. I love you all but I have to go and that was it.”
On July 26, Bryce Wisdom passed away at the age of 17.
This would have been Bryce Wisdom’s senior season at Judson. In his memory, the team left his number 39 jersey on the bench every game and came out waving a “Bryce Strong” flag. To carry on his legacy, the family has started the Bryce Strong Foundation. The mission is to provide encouragement and assistance and just a place to come to for other families and warriors that are like Bryce Wisdom.
The foundation recently held its first donation drive, collecting video game systems and other things to provide a form of entertainment to younger men and women who might be in the hospital for a long period of time like Bryce Wisdom was. His impact will live on.
“I believe we truly had angel that lived with us. We had an angel for 17 years and probably opened the eyes of a lot of people,” says Richard Wisdom. “Things that people will not share, he was willing to share with the world.
Published at Sun, 20 Dec 2020 11:21:40 +0000