Laurie Hartmann, Lakeland’s bookstore customer service coordinator, has a two-year-old grandson, Adam Brey, who is currently battling leukemia. On Saturday, Feb. 11, members of Lakeland’s football team visited Brey at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Brey began feeling sick a little before December, leading to his diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on Feb. 3. He began his first round of chemo treatments on Feb. 7.

Brey’s family includes his mother, Amanda, and his father, Greg, along with his three brothers, Hayden (13), Trevor (5) and Nathan (4). Brey also has a soon-to-be sister, Lucy, who is due any day now.

Hartmann asked Cedric Logan, sophomore sports management major, and Mike Hilliard, junior sports management major, if the football team would be willing to take a picture with a sign that said “#Adam’sArmy” that she could pass along to Brey. However, Hartmann said that the team went “above and beyond” with her request as Hilliard suggested and coordinated the team visiting Brey in the hospital.

Hilliard stated, “I feel like visiting Adam was an opportunity for me and others to touch someone’s life. When we went to see him, it brought tears to my eyes, but once he started playing, it brightened me up.”

Members of the football team arrived at the hospital in their jerseys and presented Brey with a t-shirt, football, balloons and a sign. They spent their time at the hospital tossing around the football with Brey and his brothers.

Hartmann was in disbelief and impressed that the players took time out of their busy Saturday to support a family they didn’t even know. She said, “it gave Adam’s parents a feeling that people really care.”

Brey will receive chemo for 10 days, staying in the hospital for 20 days afterwards. The family will then go home for one week, but will have to return to the hospital to go through the same process for a minimum of six months. Brey will also have to continue to be tested his whole life as AML is a reoccurring cancer.

Besides the football team’s sign hanging on Brey’s hospital wall, the family also has a map of places in the world where people have posted pictures in support of Brey. Brey has two hashtags, “#StrongAsSuperman” and “#Adam’sArmy,” in support of him. A GoFundMe page has also been set up.

Hilliard said, “I am going to keep in touch with his mom and visit him periodically. I have so much faith in Adam.”

Hartmann continually stated how “really really nice” it was for the players to visit Brey. She stated, “as a family, we want to say thank you to the entire football team.”