Bryan Bresee and his family are battling through a challenging situation, and the national media is taking notice.
The Clemson defensive tackle is this week’s nominee for the Orange Bowl Courage Award after Bresee’s sister, Ella, suffered a setback last week in her battle with brain cancer.
Although Ella was supposed to attend the Tigers’ home opener against Furman, complications forced her to return to Washington D.C. for medical care.
Clemson’s entire team has rallied around Ella’s fight, wearing “Ella Strong” shirts and providing support to the Bresee family.
“Super outgoing. Just a good person to be around,” Bresee said of his sister. “She’s always super positive no matter what’s going on. (She) just brings a smile to my face whenever I’m around her and anybody who’s around her. She was here this week and got to spend some time with the team and the coaches, so everyone got to see that.”
According to a press release, the requirements for nomination include “displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship.”
Despite the challenging times for him and his family, Bresee still played last week and was credited with two total tackles.
The 6-foot-5, 305-pound junior flew back home after the game against Furman to be with his family, and according to head coach Dabo Swinney, his status for Saturday’s game against Louisiana Tech is up in the air.
The winner of the award will be honored during the week of the Capital One Orange Bowl.
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