If you did not know Brycen Newman during his time here at Cathedral Catholic, he was a two-sport athlete, involved with both the baseball and football team. His story is both chilling and inspiring. It is a story that makes people question why hard obstacles happen to good people. However, it is also a story that proves the power of prayer.

According to Del Mar Times, “In 2015, after his freshman year, he was preparing to travel to Japan to compete with his San Diego SHOW baseball team when he received the devastating diagnosis of medulloblastoma, a rare brain cancer.”

Despite the unfortunate news, Brycen was not someone who showed weakness, he continued to show up.

“He came to a game or two to support some of his friends on varsity. He was very frail at the time. I did not think the kid would make it,” said Mr. Remiker, one of Brycen’s baseball coaches.

Although Brycen’s cancer was spreading, so was the community’s awareness, prayers, and love for Him.

The month of April in 2016 was a month much different from the rest. The month where about 1,600 Cathedral students gathered in the bleachers of Manchester stadium.

“Brycen was wearing white and we all planned to wear red as a community,” said Blake Laureti, class of 2019.

All 1,600 students extended their hands over Brycen and began praying.

“The day we prayed over Brycen Newman was beautiful. Cathedral’s community came together as one for someone we cared for so deeply and this unity showed the power behind prayer as well as our love for one another,” said Laureti.

“The feeling was weird. It was kind of like when you put on warm clothes that are fresh out of the dryer,” said Bryce in a Bali Sports San Diego interview.

It truly was a miracle. It is not unheard of that other cases described the presence of the Holy Spirit as warmth and a tingly sensation.

Beyond what Brycen expressed he felt during the prayer in Manchester, also known as Cathedral’s football stadium, there was shocking information reported after the fact.

“Three weeks later we went back to the hospital and did another MRI and the enhancement, they call it, shrunk which they have never seen. The doctors couldn’t explain it, they just said it was a miracle,” said Brycen’s dad.

Brycen was the type of person to continue to stay involved in what he loved despite his recovery process.

“He was pretty much in our dugout for every game for his junior and senior year. He wasn’t a player but he was there. He was helping us keep stats, doing our game changer-which is our streamed scoring so parents could follow the game,” said Remiker.

Off the field Brycen was described as a hardworking person in all aspects whether it be school or sports.

“He was so inspiring because he displayed so much courage and strength while going through such a hard time,” explained Remiker.

It is a chilling story to hear and cover. Brycen’s story not only impacted our community but those around us as well. Dean Cain, an American actor and producer is involved with the making of Miracle At Manchester which is a faith filled movie capturing the story of Brycen and the love of our community.

“I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Cathedral,” said Brycen. April of 2016, a year to remember.