…Researched and contributed by Lola Smith.
Braydin Lewis, a 19-year-old hockey player, passed away on April 15, 2023, after a brief battle with glioblastoma, a highly aggressive form of brain cancer.
He was survived by his parents and his older brother, Corbin.
His father worked for Steel Dynamics Inc.,
and his mother served as a deputy sheriff.
Komets Alumni Game for Braydin Lewis
During Braydin’s battle with cancer, the local hockey community rallied around him.
A Komets alumni game was organized on August 20, 2022, to raise funds for his medical care.
The event was organized by former Komets players Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock and Brandon Warner and raised over $26,000.
Braydin even skated in the game, which was attended by players from all over North America, including Colin Chaulk, Sean Venedam, and Bobby Stewart.
Braydin’s Medical Struggles
In the summer of 2022, Braydin received a diagnosis of glioblastoma and underwent surgery to remove a 2-inch tumor from his right frontal lobe.
Despite his illness, he hoped to continue his hockey career, which he credited with helping him through some very difficult days.
However, in March 2022, he started experiencing symptoms during a tournament in Boston, and doctors diagnosed him with a manageable seizure disorder.
In May, an MRI revealed a tumor, and he underwent brain surgery.
Despite undergoing multiple medical procedures, he spoke openly about his desire to return to hockey.
Braydin’s Brain Donated for Cancer Research
Braydin passed away in hospice care just two months after dropping the puck at Memorial Coliseum for a ceremonial faceoff to promote cancer awareness.
His brain has been donated to the University of Michigan’s Koschmann Laboratory and a Toronto research center for use in cancer research.
Researchers will use his brain on the front line of his specific brain tumor.
His father, Adam Lewis, mentioned his son’s “giving heart” and his ability to donate his brain to cancer research.