Travis Barfield is a sophomore football player who is a friend to many in the school.

On Jan. 3, Barfield’s heart stopped, he suffered a stroke, and has been in a coma since. He remains at the hospital in a stable condition and has been visited by friends and faculty.

“I am sad, and I do miss him very much. When I first saw him I started to cry,” sophomore Alaina Barnes said. “His condition is better than it was. When you see him he knows you’re there and can hear you speaking to him he just can’t speak back or anything. His eyes can barely open, but they open.”

Barnes and Barfield have been close friends since elementary school and she visited him on Jan. 30.

To show support for Barfield and his family, numerous fundraisers have been created to help pay for medical bills. A GoFundMe was created, which is an online website where people can donate to help pay for their needs.

“I donated because…I know his medical bills are going to be high and he’s my friend so I have to help him out somehow,” Barnes said.

T-shirts that say ‘Travis Strong”are also being sold on booster.com under the title ‘Travis Strong” to help Travis’s family pay medical bills.

“Other people can help him by donating a couple [of] dollars to the GoFundMe, I’m sure his [family] would appreciate it very much,” Barnes said.

While Barfield’s condition is stable yet uncertain, friends and family remain optimistic.

“He’s like a brother to me, but I do know he will get better because he is a strong guy, and it’s going to be OK,” Barnes said.