Those team members were among hundreds of others who came out for a pancake breakfast fundraiser for Bridgeport High School students Brode Brown and Xander Wilson, who were both seriously injured in a single-vehicle car accident on National Road on April 29 near Lansing.

The boys, both members of the Bridgeport Bulldogs Baseball team, were flown to WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital (Ruby Memorial) in Morgantown and placed in the hospital’s intensive care unit. They reportedly sustained serious head and brain injuries and a number of broken bones. They both are still being treated in Morgantown, and while they are reportedly seeing improvement, they both face a long road to recovery ahead.

“We’d been at practice together, and then it happened shortly after,” Tino Kusic said of the accident.

Kusic, head wrestling coach and assistant baseball coach for the Bulldogs, was one of the organizers for Saturday’s fundraiser. All proceeds benefit the Brown and Wilson families.

Photo by Eric Ayres Hundreds of people from the Bridgeport community and beyond came out to a pancake breakfast fundraiser Saturday morning at Bridgeport Schools to support high school students Brode Brown and Xander Wilson and their families. The two boys were seriously injured in a car accident on April 29 and are still being treated at WVU Medicine Children's Hospital in Morgantown.

“We just wanted to provide support to the boys and the families as best as we could,” he said. “We put this together within a week, so the community and everybody that donated really pulled through. It’s been a great turnout so far.”

The cafeteria inside Bridgeport Schools was buzzing with activity Saturday morning with volunteers helping guide a steady flow of supporters in for breakfast. Members of the Bridgeport High School Baseball team were among those manning the kitchen, serving stacks of flapjacks and more. The fundraiser also included chances to win scores of donated gift baskets and prizes of all kinds.

Folks from the Bridgeport community came out in full force for the fundraiser – as did those representing many other communities in the area, as well.

“It’s just a testament to how strong the Ohio Valley is,” said Kusic, as the members of the rival Shadyside Baseball team sat down nearby to dig into heaping plates of pancakes, sausage and fruit. “I mean, on the field and stuff, they’re competitors, but this goes beyond that, and Shadyside has been tremendous in supporting our two boys. Them bringing their team here means a lot.”

Jason Collins, head coach of the Shadyside Baseball team, indicated that the opportunity to help brothers in need transcends the competitive spirit between the schools.

Photo by Eric Ayres Members of the Bridgeport Bulldogs Baseball team help serve pancakes breakfast during a fundraiser Saturday for teammates Brode Brown and Xander Wilson and their families. Brown and Wilson were seriously injured in a car accident on April 29 and are still being treated at WVU Medicine Children's Hospital in Morgantown.

“It’s all about the kids,” Collins said. “We may be rivals on the field and on the courts, but when something like this happens … It’s basically like family. We’ve got to stick together, make sure the kids are OK and support them in any way we can.”

Bill Timko, head coach of the Bridgeport baseball team, agreed, adding that the sense of community in this area extends well beyond the borders of the individual towns and school districts.

“It’s amazing,” Timko said. “This is the Ohio Valley. We play hard against each other, but after that, we’re all friends. We help one another if someone’s in trouble. You can’t beat anything like this Ohio Valley.”

Many other schools throughout the area have been showing support since the accident, as well. A number of Ohio Valley schools, sports teams and local businesses have organized efforts to wear blue to show unity with Bridgeport, and many have stepped up to raise funds to help the families, as well.

The Brown and Wilson families have reportedly been traveling to Morgantown to be with the boys on a regular basis as they continue their fight.

Photo by Eric Ayres The Shadyside Tigers Baseball team were among the hundreds of people from throughout the Ohio Valley who came to Bridgeport High School on Saturday morning to support a fundraising breakfast for two injured students and their families. Brode Brown and Xander Wilson, both members of the Bridgeport Bulldogs Baseball team, were seriously injured in a car accident on April 29 and are still being treated at WVU Medicine Children's Hospital in Morgantown.

On Saturday, Kusic said both boys are showing improvement.

“We’ve been kept in the loop from their parents, and every day is better,” he said. “They have brain injuries. Xander had a few fractures throughout his body, but they’re hoping to get things rolling on both ends.”

Brown reportedly sustained a serious injury to his year, and Wilson reportedly requires surgery to repair a broken jaw, among other injuries. But there have been good signs of progress, and those on hand during Saturday’s fundraiser expressed optimism

Fellow student and teammate Jaki Threet, captain of the Bridgeport Baseball team, said that through the unfortunate event, people from all walks of life have truly united to support the boys, their families and one another.

“I think it’s great,” Threet said. “It’s brought the community together for sure. It’s been a good turnout today, and hopefully we’ll get a lot of money raised for the guys.”

The team has been taking it in stride, according to Threet, noting that the season continues with Brown and Wilson in their minds and in their hearts as the rest of the team pulls things together.

“We’ve all just kind of been there for each other – kind of keeping each other’s spirits up, checking in on each other a little bit more than usual,” he said. “But it’s been pretty good.”