MECHANICSBURG – Mechanicsburg High School wrestler Isaac Bryant and his family appeared on a national television show on Wednesday.
Bryant became an online sensation after a Facebook post of his performance of the national anthem.
The recent district wrestling tournament found itself without a singer or recording of the national anthem. The tournament’s announcer asked if anyone wanted to volunteer and Bryant stepped up. His performance has been viewed worldwide on Facebook by hundreds of thousands of people.
The new-found fame led Bryant and his parents to New York for an appearance on Fox & Friends Wednesday morning.
According to the Fox website, Bryant said: “I sing a lot. I guess that’s kind of a part of me. That’s what I do. I’m a little bit of a performer if you haven’t noticed.”
According to a story posted on the Fox website, the MHS junior volunteered to sing prior to the Division III District Wrestling Championships at Hobart Arena in Troy last weekend.
He had been napping moments before, nervous about his wrestling match.
“I was dazed and confused and I just thought they might just need somebody to do it,” the 17-year-old said.
Bryant told the TV hosts he had never sung the anthem publicly by himself before. His parents, who witnessed Isaac’s rendition, said they were touched by his performance.
“I was just so proud,” his mother, April Bryant, told the TV hosts. “We were used to the voice, but I guess it was the heart he put into it. It brought tears to our eyes.”
“Nothing he does surprises me because he’s pretty good at everything he does,” Isaac’s father, Barry Bryant, said.
According to the Tecumseh Council Boy Scouts of America, Isaac is a member of Troop 49 in Mechanicsburg and his father is the troop’s scoutmaster.
