By Whitney Tapry, WKU Athletics
After adopting then-six-year-old Harlie Bryant to the team two years ago, no one associated with WKU volleyball could have imagined the impact that she would have on the program. On that official adoption day, Harlie looked and acted like a normal child--running around, talking, eating cake and playing with balloons.
Harlie is much more than a normal child, though. Having to battle with a brain tumor and all that it entails, now at eight years old, Harlie has been through more than what many adults have. However, Harlie has a positive spirit, which is kept up by "her girls" on the volleyball team.
"They call and check up on her often," said Harlie's mom Lisa Bryant. "All the girls will text her too. They really take away her sickness. It is completely different when she is here. She can feel bad at home, and then she will come here where they all want to talk to her and she's hanging out with them, and she will feel better. It has been great for her mentality."
The support system for Harlie came about after WKU head coach Travis Hudson signed up with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ) after seeing a segment on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." FOJ is a charitable, non-profit organization that strives to enhance and strengthen the support system built around children with pediatric brain tumors, connecting athletic teams to children and their families. Using geography to bring the pairs together, Harlie is from Beaver Dam, Ky., allowing the Bryants to come to matches when possible.
Harlie and the Lady Toppers don't just see each other on gamedays. They have dyed Easter eggs together, visited Harlie at home, video chatted while Harlie is away for medical treatments and the list goes on. One of Harlie's favorite activities to do with the team is dancing, especially to hip hop music.
"One time we had a sleepover, and it was so much fun," said Harlie. "The room was really small, and they are really tall. We were playing Just Dance, and they would raise their hands up and kept hitting the ceiling."
The team makes sure that birthdays are special for Harlie too, throwing her a surprise party in Diddle Arena with blow-up castles, tie-dye shirt painting, obstacle courses and much more that an eight-year-old can dream.
"Usually on her birthdays in the past we have either been doing chemo or surgeries," Lisa said. "So Travis said `Well that isn't this year, so this is what we are going to do.' I mean, who would do that? He's a college coach; he doesn't have time to plan all that. It was just great."
Having a tumor comes with its bad days, but the family Harlie has made with Lady Topper volleyball is always there for her, even after graduation, as she still talks to numerous former players like Ashley Potts, Paige Wessel and Sarah Rogers. Talking to her about things outside of being sick has really helped Harlie according to Lisa. Even more amazing is seeing the support from outside the team to the player's families.
"We had to go to Cincinnati and were in the hospital for a while, and Noelle (Langenkamp)'s family lived there and would come and check on us or call, text, ask if we need anything. They even helped us get tickets to a Reds baseball game, which was a lot of fun for us."
The Bryants continue to be thankful for the support that has stemmed from volleyball, Hilltopper Nation and even the university. One person who they can't thank enough is Hudson.
"He has been like family," said Harlie's dad Jamie Bryant. "That's the bottom line right there. He would stop and do anything for us instantly. It's just like if she was one of his kids."
"I like him," said Harlie, as her mom noted that the two will talk in his office for long periods of time while the first thing Harlie does is have to give him a hug. "Yeah, he either has to lift me up or get on his knees to hug me because he is so tall."
For Hudson, the feeling is mutual.
"Every night that Harlie is in our building is a special night to me," said Hudson. "We get so wrapped up in what we are trying to do and our season seems so important, but there is nothing that any of us will do that will compare to the fight that girl is in on a daily basis. I have yet to see her walk in and not have a smile on her face and wrap her arms around everybody here. There is no big winner than that kid every time she is in Diddle Arena."
For more information on Hope for Harlie, visit HopeforHarlie.org, and visit FriendsofJaclyn.org for more information on FOJ.
WKU Volleyball's time with Harlie Bryant is just the tip of the iceberg in WKU's Hilltoppers with Heart efforts. Here are some of the other things that WKU Athletics has been doing around the community:
- Brandon Doughty recently spoke to members of the Warren County Youth Football League "Hilltoppers," which includes 20 6-7 year olds from 7 different elementary schools in the area. He spoke at the teams end of the season banquet after the team went 10-0 this season. Doughty spoke to the kids about his love of football, and the importance of school, grades, and hard work.
- All 30 Student Athlete Advisory Committee members participated in a canned food drive recently, benefiting the WKU Food Pantry by collecting food and money from their teams. IN all, they collected over 1,000 cans of food to donate.
- Members of the SAAC will participate in the Christmas in Kentucky events in early December in Bowling Green
- The women's golf team and men's golf team recently worked on a beautification project at Indiana Hills Country Club.
- WKU Baseball and WKU Softball visited the Glasgow Boys and Girls Club
