REGINA, Sask. — Friends, teammates and community members are rallying around Greenall Griffins punter and team captain Hunter Gronick as he recovers from a serious brain injury suffered during a football game and the emergency surgery that followed in Regina.
Among those showing support is Angelica Linklater-Rattai, a Regina Victorias U18 player who was recognized by the Prairie Girls Football League for an awareness run during the Queen City Marathon on Sept. 13.
Linklater-Rattai, a classmate and longtime soccer teammate of Gronick, ran 10 kilometres while wearing her football jersey and carrying a sign in support of her friend. Students and friends from Greenall High School also took part, demonstrating solidarity with Gronick and his family.
In a social media post, the Prairie Girls Football League praised Linklater-Rattai's efforts, saying her actions reflected the values of friendship, compassion and strength that sports can foster.
"Rivalries disappear. Team colours don't matter. Sometimes, we're simply one community standing behind one of our own," the league said in a post.
The post concluded with a message for Gronick: "Keep fighting, Hunter. An entire community is behind you."
Meanwhile, Gronick's sister, Emily Baumann, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover expenses related to his recovery. As of Sept. 14, more than $46,700 had been raised toward the fundraiser's $55,000 goal.
According to the fundraiser, Gronick walked off the field after taking a hit during the Griffins' Sept. 10 game against the Swift Current Comprehensive School Colts but later lost consciousness. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital in Swift Current, where tests revealed a brain bleed.
Due to the severity of the injury, Gronick was transferred to Regina by STARS Air Ambulance. He arrived shortly after midnight and underwent emergency surgery around 1 a.m.
The fundraiser said the surgery went as well as doctors had hoped, but Gronick required the removal of a portion of his skull to relieve pressure caused by swelling and bleeding on the brain. He remains in the surgical intensive care unit under heavy sedation and is expected to stay there for several weeks before beginning what his family anticipates will be a lengthy recovery.
"There are still many unknowns about what his recovery will look like, how long he will be in the hospital, and what kind of care and rehabilitation he will need afterward," the fundraiser states.
The campaign was created to help ease the financial burden associated with the life-changing injury. Funds will help cover travel, accommodation, meals, medical and rehabilitation expenses and other costs incurred while family members spend extended periods away from home and work.
"Right now, our family is focused on Hunter and getting him through the days ahead," the fundraiser states. "Hunter is surrounded by his family, and we are incredibly grateful for the support and love that has already been shown to him."
The family said any donation, regardless of the amount, will help them focus on supporting Gronick during his recovery. Those unable to contribute financially are encouraged to share the fundraiser and keep him in their thoughts.
In a social media update, Baumann described her brother as a kind, caring and selfless young man who is deeply loved by family, friends and teammates.
"Those who know Hunter will tell you he is the kindest, funniest, most generous, loving and thoughtful kid," she wrote. "He is always thinking of others and doing anything he can to brighten someone's day."
Baumann said Gronick spent the summer working at the Balgonie Pool and at her business while regularly volunteering at community events. An artist, he enjoys drawing Spider-Man, a character he has shared his enthusiasm for with his nephews. She said he also treasures his role as an uncle and has developed a particularly close bond with her eldest son, Bennett.
Baumann described Gronick as a dedicated football player who took up the sport in Grade 10 after watching his older brother, Andrew, play for years.
"He was always a team player, hyping up the team and looking out for every other player on the field," she wrote. "After every tackle, he would help the other player up and make sure they were okay."
Baumann said Gronick's parents have remained by his side throughout the ordeal. In her latest update, she said there had been little change in his condition and that he remains sedated while doctors work to keep him comfortable as he battles a fever.
"We are just hoping he will wake up soon," Baumann wrote. "Hunter is a fighter, and he is fighting so hard."
