RAWSON, Ohio — Connor played baseball and was a kicker on the football team at Cory-Rawson High School in Hancock County. But life for him has been on the sidelines lately.
It all started when Connor's family noticed he was having headaches, so they took him to the doctor.
"Ended up getting a phone call back within an hour of the CT," Connor's aunt, Lindsey Berger, said. "The doctor was so kind, but the doctor was in tears. Just saying that they have found what they think it could be, a Craniopharyngioma."
A Craniopharyngioma is a rare brain tumor on the pituitary gland, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
"Everything moved extremely quickly," Berger said.
The family took Connor, 16, to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus. While the tumor is benign, the doctors said it was important to remove it.
"It's a tumor that has to come out all the way or it could regenerate and come back," she said.
Connor had two surgeries in January, which doctors said removed 85-90% of the tumor, according to the family.
"No optic nerve damage that we're aware of and no pituitary damage that we're aware of, which is all phenomenal," Berger said.
But Connor still has a long journey ahead. To get the rest of the tumor, he'll have to go through radiation five days a week for six weeks.
Berger said the whole process has been hard on Connor and his parents, which is why they declined an interview. But Berger has been finding ways to help them persevere. She went to social media to ask for prayers and support.
"We've had the most wild, amazing support," she said. "I've been in tears every single day."
Area schools wore his team colors and rival teams wore ribbons in his honor. Former Ohio State football coaches Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel, NFL great Brett Farve and WWE wrestler Kurt Angle are just a few of the sports celebrities who sent videos to the family to show support.
"I don't think Connor realizes how much he's loved," Berger said. "He's such a good kid."
If you would like to follow his journey or help support the family, you can go to Berger's business page on Facebook, Country Roads Photography.