Palatine High boosters raising money for injured runner

Palatine High School student Ryan Kissane was running with some of his cross country teammates when he was hit and seriously injured by a car the morning of Nov. 21.

By that same afternoon, members of the PHS Pirate Booster Club were planning a fundraising event to help with the family's medical bills. With a donation from Waist Up, hundreds of T-shirts were created overnight and sold at the Palatine High School Boys Basketball Red-White Scrimmage game the next day.

The shirts sport school mascot Pirate Pete, the words Once a Pirate, Always Family and #runningwithryan.

Ryan and members of his immediate and extended family are planning to be in attendance at the school about 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, for the basketball game against Fremd; this will be his first visit to school since the accident.

In a message to the boosters following the first round of T-shirt sales, Ryan's mom Eileen Kissane said, "We know that Ryan's injuries will heal, but his life is changed forever, having gained an even greater understanding of what it means to be part of a loving community! At the end of the day many people were impacted by this accident and our hope is that all can find comfort in this show of support, knowing they are part of something uniquely special!"

The PHS varsity poms have made a donation, which covered a large portion of an additional purchase of T-shirts, which will be on sale at Friday's game for a minimum donation of $10. Donations can also be made at phspirateboosters.com. The girls' varsity game is at 6 p.m., followed by the boys' game at 7:30 p.m.