Palatine High School Rallies, Raises Money for Runner Hit by Car

Photo Credit: Ryan Kissane Facebook page

Palatine High School showed its support Friday to help one local family pay for its medical expenses after their son, a cross-country runner at the school, was hit by a car while jogging with teammates last week.

The Palatine Pirate Boosters held a fund-raising event Friday night to help raise money for the family of Ryan Kissane, 18, of Palatine.

The booster club sold T-shirts that had a Pirate Pete logo and read “Once a Pirate Always Family,” according to the Daily Herald. The T-shirts also sported hashtag #runningwithryan.

All proceeds from the T-shirts will go to the Kissane family to help pay for Ryan’s medical bills following the crash last Thursday in Palatline. The Palatine Pirates booster club plans to hold another fund-raising event during varsity games on Dec. 5 against Fremd, the Daily Herald reports. Donations can also be made online.

Kissane was seriously injured when he was hit by a 2000 Chevy Camaro at about 6:45 a.m. Thursday while crossing Palatine Road at the intersection of Rohlwing Road in Palatine while running with his fellow cross-country teammates, police said.

Kissane was listed in stable condition at Advocate General Hospital in Park Ridge on Thursday. On Friday, he sent out the following tweet:

Just got my iPod back today! The hospital is treating me well and I’m doing better today than yesterday. Thank god for all the good luck.

— Ryan Kissane (@Kissane_Ryan) November 21, 2014

A little later on Friday he tweeted:

hopefully I get out of intensive care tonight! you guys are the best Twitter followers ever!

— Ryan Kissane (@Kissane_Ryan) November 22, 2014

Meanwhile, Palatine High School cross-country and track runners were encouraged to run for Ryan over the weekend. The following update was posted to the Palatine XC and Track & Field Facebook page on Friday:

If you run a Saturday workout let’s tweet it @Kissane_Ryan. Finish The Weekly for him at max miles. Get it tomorrow boys ‪#‎thepackisback‬

Read more on the Daily Herald