SAN ANTONIO — Diana Wisdom, Bryce Wisdom’s mother, said her family is still planning final services for her son. The 17-year-old died from a second battle with kidney cancer.
In a social media post late Sunday night Wisdom shared the news of her son’s death. He was rushed to the hospital on July 24 with a collapsed lung, in excruciating pain. His father Richard, per the Wisdom post, was with him.
This was Bryce’s last trip to the hospital. His cancer journey became a movement of inspiration, perseverance, and unity.
A south Texas community including rival schools backed Bryce’s recovery brand of #BryceStrong. He said in an interview for KENS 5's ‘Kids Who Make San Antonio Great’ that he did---but didn’t understand how he was inspiring others.
“To me, I just feel like a normal person going through a fight,” Bryce said.
He dreamed of living a healthy life, becoming a football coach, and a real estate agent. Cancer severed his chances of playing football.
Judson High School Head Football Coach Rodney Williams said Bryce’s death was like losing a son.
“The kid went through so much in a short amount of time,” Williams said. “ If you’re not inspired by the way he handled himself then there’s something wrong with you as a person.”
Bryce loved football especially football at Judson. He also had a keen love for the Seattle Seahawks.
His family described him as the quietest one of them. But his smile, grace under extreme pressure, and humility spoke loudly.
“He was picked to be here for a reason,” his coach said.
According to Williams, part of that reason was to show people how to smile at adversity and if you believe---you can make it through bad days.
“His legacy that he’s going to leave here, it’ll never go away,” Williams said. “That means he did something positive with his life in that short amount of time.”
Bryce's mother said that before slipping away into unconsciousness, he told her, "Mom, I won."
The teen’s death trended nationally with the hashtag #RipBryce and #BryceStrong. A new mantra was born out of his passing: ‘Live like Bryce.’
Digital billboards near the teen’s former school displayed his picture and his legacy message.