While recovering from surgery at home, nine-year-old Lyla Seamans received plenty of love from her friends.
Submitted photo
Nine-year-old Lyla Seamans stands in her hospital room at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital at Geisinger, Danville, while recovering from surgeries and an infection.
Submitted photo
Lyla Seamans poses for a photo at home over the Christmas holidays.
Submitted photo
EXETER — The annual Wyoming Area Ice Hockey Alumni Game will take place Saturday, April 24, with proceeds of the 2026 Green and Gold Ice Hockey Alumni Game benefitting 9-year-old Lyla Seamans.
Lyla, a grade student at Wyoming Area, was rushed to Janet Weis Children’s Hospital at Geisinger, Danville, at the end of December 2025 for burst appendix surgery.
Over the following weeks, she had to be taken back to Janet Weiss for an additional surgery to battle an infection. She ended up with one more surgery for yet, another infection. All totaled, she spent 15 days in the hospital.
Lyla was finally discharged on Feb. 28 and continues to recover while staying strong. She returned to school on Feb. 10.
“Thank you to the Wyoming Area Ice Hockey Alumni for choosing Lyla as their beneficiary this year,” Lyla’s mother, Rachael, said. “We are definitely not ones to reach out for help, but after a few conversations with a friend, I recognize it is okay to allow others to help. Lyla’s medical expenses are adding up, and all money raised will go towards her bills. Thank you again for all the prayers, players, and fundraising team. It truly is a blessing.”
Wyoming Area Ice Hockey alum and event organizer, Brittani Shearer, believes in continuing the tradition of benefitting someone from the community through the alumni game.
“Since I graduated, the alumni game has always been played the Saturday before Easter, and it’s become a great tradition for getting everyone back together,” Shearer said. “A few years ago, members of the Wyoming Area Ice Hockey Board approached us about turning it into a benefit game in place of the Blue & Gold game after Pittston Area and Wyoming Area combined teams. It was a no-brainer — a fun day to reconnect while also giving back to the community.”
All money raised at this event will go directly towards Lyla and her family.
The game will be played at the Toyota Sportsplex, Wilkes-Barre, at 3 p.m. with doors opening at 2 p.m. The pregame ceremony begins at 2:50 p.m.
Admission is $2 per fan, and participating alumni is $20 per player. There will be a 50/50 raffle and raffle baskets.
If you would like to donate a raffle basket item, contact Brittani Shearer at 570-357-9911.
Wyoming Area Ice Hockey alumni wishing to play in the game, contact Billy Romanowski at 570-954-9394.
