Sep 12, 2014 By Eleanor Bailey 4 min read

Prayers for Marissa went from just a hashtag on Twitter to a full-fledged community vigil on a football practice field at Bethel Park High School Sept. 11 as concerned citizens lit candles and implored God to intercede in healing a recent graduate.

Shortly after enrolling at the University of Pittsburgh for her freshman year, Marissa Oakley of Bethel Park took ill. When the fever she was treating failed to relent, her parents, Geoff and Marnie, took her to the hospital to be examined. Once at Presbyterian Hospital, Marissa seized. Since she continued to have seizures in her brain, Marissa has been placed in a medically-induced coma. The sedation allows her brain a chance to rest and also enables her tending physicians an opportunity to figure out what is causing the condition and how to treat it effectively.

“Marissa is a vital, strong, vibrant, active, lovely individual,” stressed Louise Rogers, associate pastor at John McMillan Presbyterian Church who headlined the prayer service. “When something like this comes along and causes such a medical condition, it is astounding and difficult for us.”

Rogers noted that while Marissa’s situation is serious, the crowd of more than 300 assembled in the spirit of hope. “When things like this happen that are beyond our understanding, we are at a crossroads,” she said. “We either fall into despair or lean into hope. Obviously, we chose hope. We trust in and appreciate the care that she is getting and we offer our prayers to God. God is always part of healing. The God, we worship is a caring, loving, merciful and powerful.”

For those in attendance, many of them former classmates who have gone on to different universities, the prayer service sent a powerful message to Marissa. “We want her to know how much she is loved,” said her friends. “The turnout here speaks to who Marissa is and the type of person she is.”

Marissa is the best friend anybody possibly could have, according to her companions Lindsay Yost, Chelsea Conway and Haley Bowen, who all attend Duquesne University. Conway has particularly close ties to the family because her dad, Ray, played hockey against Marissa’s father in high school. Ray attended Baldwin while Geoff Oakley graduated from Bethel Park, where he also excelled in soccer and baseball, before playing hockey at St. Bonaventure.

“It’s so weird,” said Conway, who played basketball, softball and soccer at Bethel Park while Marissa played amateur hockey. “Just two weeks ago, we saw Marissa walking along a street in Oakland. Now I visit and talk to her in the hospital.

“It was important to be here,” she continued. “We had to do this for her.”

Jonna Morrison made the journey from Slippery Rock University. Even though the freshman had an 8 a.m. class the next day, Morrison attended the prayer service.

Morrison said that no matter how she was treated, “Marissa treated everybody like gold. She’s beyond generous. She’s the best person you could want for a friend.

“It’s a shame to see her like this. We want her to be okay.”

Morrison says because of Marissa’s great sense of humor, she will pull through this ailment.

“You never see her sad. She never complained. When they were putting the IV in her, she was making jokes and making everybody laugh. She is one of the toughest people we know. She will beat this.”

Even when she knew the coma was coming, Marissa reassured her mother, Marnie, she would triumph. She told her that she would ‘give better than her best.’

“I got this,” she told her mother.

Now her friends and family wait for her to wake up and be healthy and happy again. “It’s like she’s just sleeping,” said Morrison. “We keep waiting for her to open her eyes.”

Until that happens, her friends have embarked on efforts to help defray medical costs. In three days, more than $12,000 has been contributed to a fund created by Kelsey Bauer. T-shirts, sporting her No. 3 on the back, as well as ‘Riss’ bands have been ordered and will go on sale this week Sept. 17 and 18.

Visit the facebook page Prayers for Marissa Oakley or www.gofundme.com/e7x4fc?fblogin=2 to donate or more information on fundraising efforts.