University of Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz didn’t want to talk about the football game between UH and San Jose State University on Friday just before kickoff, ESPN commentators Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore said in a nationally televised broadcast.
"He wanted to talk about a 6-year-old young man named Drew Iida," Tessitore said, with about 61⁄2 minutes left in the UH game.
"Yeah, he has his name written on his hand," Gilmore said. "Drew is the guy, that 6-year-old, who plays football in Hawaii and actually collapsed the other day."
On Oct. 1, Emergency Medical Services paramedics transported the then-5-year-old Drew to a hospital in critical condition from a football field in the Kahala area. Drew turned 6 on Oct. 10.
Due to privacy rights, EMS officials could not say what caused the boy to be in critical condition.
Drew suffered bleeding in the brain and remains in a coma, according to information sent by parents of teammates and friends of the boy and his family, who are spreading the word of fundraisers.
Oahu Pop Warner Football association President Jerry Neumann said Drew was on the field warming up before the game when he collapsed.
"There was no contact whatsoever," he said, adding that Drew apparently had a seizure.
Drew plays Tiny Mite Pop Warner football in East Honolulu with the Kalani Falcons. Tiny Mite footballers are 5- to 7-year-olds who play tackle football and weigh from 37 to 84 pounds.
Teammates and their parents have prayed for Drew and are organizing fundraisers.
His teammates "just know their teammate is not well right now and are praying for his recovery," Sylvia Akaka, whose 6-year-old son is on the team, said Thursday. "We open up every practice with prayer and close every practice with prayer."
The ESPN commentators concluded their comments on Moniz saying, "He wanted everybody surrounding Drew, his family and Drew to know that he’s thinking about him tonight."