A hospital spokeswoman said doctors ran brain scan tests on Thursday and he still had only 10 percent of his brain activity, the same as on Wednesday. The condition worsened by Thursday night. A lot of loved ones were by his side and hundreds more in Waynesville prayed for him.

It was on the minds of so many in this small town, whether they knew him or not. The Waynesville School District assistant superintendent says the entire community pulled together.

"I’m’ just so impressed with the caring attitude of everybody and what they've done for us,” said Joe Petrich.

Petrich knew Patrick for six years.

"He was very, very well liked by everybody,” he said.

And it's not just the high school students who were grieving. Petrich says all the teachers at the middle school who had Patrick in class just a few years ago, along with those in surrounding communities, are taking this hard, and offering their support to his family.

"We are dealing with the here-and-now in the present and that's why we do have our crisis intervention team, our counselors in the building,” said Petrich.

He says several students have talked to counselors. He's says the hope for a miracle was what kept them going.