Salina South’s Cody Busby was playing for more than just the West team during Saturday night’s Shrine Bowl football game. He was also playing for a Salina child who is battling a brain tumor.

If you watched the game, and thought Busby’s helmet looked a little different, you were right. He had a special tribute to Keaton Munsell on it, a large green number 22 on one side of the helmet.

South Football Coach Sam Sellers explained the tribute. Keaton will be a 7th grader this year at South Middle School. Last week doctors discovered a tumor in his brain. He had emergency surgery on Monday at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, and has begun a long road to recovery.

For the last several years Busby has helped at youth football camps in Salina in the summer. Keaton attended several of the camps, leaving an impression on the former Salina South Cougar and soon to be Coffeyville Community College Red Raven.

The green 22 has become a rallying show of support for Keaton. It is the number he always wears when playing sports.

Though Busby’s West team lost the game 22 – 19, he did not disappoint. Busby scored a touchdown late in the game. As he celebrated with teammates in the endzone he pointed to the 22 on the side of his helmet.

Busby was not the only athlete with a show of support this week. Earlier in the week K-State Olympic athlete Erik Kynard Jr. tweeted “Shoutout to Keaton Munsell a 12yr old who had brain surgery yesterday. Loves KSU praying for your recovery”.