Lightning national anthem singer home from hospital after bout with COVID-19

Sonya Bryson-Kirksey, the Lightning’s beloved national anthem singer, is home from the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital after a battle with COVID-19.

Despite being vaccinated, she spent a month at the hospital, including several days in the ICU. She has multiple sclerosis, which made her especially vulnerable to the delta variant of the virus.

She thanked fans and supporters from across the Tampa Bay area for their thoughts and prayers. “Thank you for just loving me,” she said, “because I think that brought me through.”

Bryson-Kirksey has performed the national anthem at Lightning home games for the past eight years.

– Joe Henderson, Extensive Enterprises Media