Bryson’s passing shocked the entire community, especially his best friend and teammate, 9-year-old Elias Vilfort. The two shared a deep bond that went beyond the ballfield—they collected trading cards, spent time at Hersheypark, and often had meals together.

Elias honored Bryson by drawing his jersey number on the field and pledged to win future games in his memory. They were set to play on the same All-Star team for the first time that weekend, a dream that tragically never came true.