DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — A small community, coming together for one of their own at Husby's. Half of all sales Wednesday, are going towards a neighborhood family whose son was diagnosed with with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
- Husby's Bar in Sister Bay, one of the most popular hangouts where the Sitte fundraiser took place
- Braden Sitte's mom Heidi Sitte describes the feeling she has after seeing support from the community
- John Sawyer a co-owner of Husby's talks about Husby giving back to the community
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
On Wednesday at this lively small town bar.
"We though it'd be a good idea to do a fundraiser" Husby's co-owner John Sawyer said.
Braden Sitte graduated from Gibraltar high school last June and just a month later, his life changed when he was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma.
"Just a rare fast growing Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. It's very aggressive so if you don't get it, like right away it can be fatal" Braden's mom Heidi Sitte said.
He planned on attending and play football for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse but those plans have been put on hold.
His mom, Heidi Sitte, says this kind of support, means the world to their family.
"The community has been absolutely amazing. They have helped us out right from the beginning just being there with phone calls and text messages" Sitte said.
It's a rewarding feeling to contribute for the bar's co-owner, John Sawyer.
"It's just been a great outpouring and I know people have got it on Facebook and out in the community so we expect a great day" Sawyer said.
Husby's is known for giving back to the community, by donating their ceiling money. This time, the money being donated to the Sitte family.
This is the Sitte's third benefit but Heidi says she wasn't expecting this kind of support.
"I didn't expect it to be shared as much as it was and it just warms our hearts to see. The people and what they do around here for us... It's... It's amazing" Sitte said.
The Sitte family is hoping this long journey is almost over.
"His last chemo was just on Saturday, so we still got a road ahead of us but we are - we see the light at the end of the tunnel" Sitte said.
For now Braden is taking classes at U-W Green Bay but in the fall, he plans to transfer to U-W La Crosse to lace up his football cleats once again.
To donate to the Sitte family during this time, they have a GoFundMe page set up for the BSTRONG Funds as well as a bank account set up at North Shore bank.
