#OneTribe: Our Staff Stories

Florida State athletics has not been immune to the world-changing COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past few weeks we have been chronicling the stories of our student-athletes in our #OneTribe #OurStory series, and we aren’t finished yet.

While the health and welfare of our student-athletes remains our focus, there are countless untold stories out there about what members of our FSU administration, coaching and support staffs are going through in their lives.

In the spirit of our #OneTribe series, the Florida State sports information staff has provided a forum for those who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to help our student-athletes cope with their new normal, to share their stories. It is our hope that by providing this canvas, Seminoles everywhere can make relatable connections with those they might only know from the athletics arena, if at all.

This is the second installment of #OneTribe: Our Staff Stories:

Sue Semrau

Women’s Basketball Coach

This pandemic has affected so many people in so many ways, and I’m certainly one of them. My mother, who has always been there for me, is undergoing chemo treatment for ovarian cancer in Seattle. The state of Washington was one of the first states to be hit with COVID-19, and so when I was planning to see her the week following our ACC Tournament in March, I knew I had to make a very tough decision.

My parents always come once a year during basketball season, and so they left Tallahassee in February. When they returned home to Seattle to seek guidance about my mother’s cancer treatment, they found out she would have to go through three rounds of chemo. And then right after that, the pandemic hits. There were so many decisions on what I should do between visiting like I originally planned, or not. I would have really liked to have been there, but knew that I couldn’t. I could not risk somehow being a carrier of this virus while in Seattle and giving it to my 80-year old mother.

COVID-19 is now known to affect all age groups, but especially senior citizens. My mother is in that range where if she gets the virus it can be very dangerous to her immune system. She’s even had doctors with split decisions on whether to continue with the treatment to cure the cancer or whether it’s too much of a risk right now with this coronavirus being out there. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I somehow gave it to her on a visit.

My mother finished her second treatment (April 14). She has one more to go. My sister and I make sure she’s practically bubbled-wrapped wherever she goes. Like so many cancer patients, the chemo takes so much out of you. It’s so important that she also safeguards herself against COVID-19 as well.

Luckily for me, my sister has been tremendous with everything. She’s been out in Seattle assisting them, despite having to adjust to her new ways as a teacher. She’s been having to initiate distance learning like so many other teachers, and so she’s handling that while taking care of my parents. I tried to think of ways where we could make it work by both being out there, but with the social distance measures in place there was really no way.

What may be the toughest thing of all is that my mother is going through these chemo treatments by herself. There cannot be contact with patients at the hospital. So for her second chemo treatment, my Dad dropped her off and she had to go through that excruciating six or seven-hour procedure by herself. My Dad has to just go back home and then go and pick her up.

It really is tough thinking about how she has to battle through her treatment by herself, and how much this pandemic has prevented me from being there to support her. I’m very hopeful though, because they did catch her cancer early. Even my Dad has been through a bit lately – he just had shoulder replacement surgery.

For everyone going through these tough times, just understand that there will be brighter days ahead! – as told to Steve Stone

Bob Braman

Men’s & Women’s Track & Field Coach
Men’s Cross Country Coach

Bob Braman last visited his mother, Gloria Braman, at her Westminster Oaks nursing care residence, on March 8, just days before he traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Seminoles for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

In a week’s time, COVID-19 changed the world. The championship meet, and subsequently, the remainder of the athletic year were cancelled. Braman was faced with the layered complexities of dealing with men’s and women’s rosters totaling more than 100, and on the home front, not only his own self-quarantine, but also the end of those twice-weekly visits with his mother.

“We moved mom and dad here a little over eight years ago,” said Braman, whose father passed away after a battle with Alzheimer’s nearly six years ago. “[Westminster Oaks] has been a good deal because it has different levels; independent living, memory care and then you’ve got nursing care. It’s a contiguous deal. As your skills lessen, the support increases.”

Braman describes his mom, as “super healthy” as she approaches her 88th birthday in June.

“She has some dementia issues and so it’s confusing right now for people in her area, whether its memory care or nursing care,” he said. “They’re trying to comprehend what’s going on and all they know initially is that nobody can come see them…

[Wife] Debbie and I would get over there at least twice a week and then call another couple times. They quarantined early. You can’t go in there. If you want to leave Easter gifts, like we did, they clean them up. It’s a real good process and I’m happy they’re doing it, but it’s tough on the older people because they don’t get the visitors and they don’t really interact with each other with this quarantine.

We try to make as many calls as possible. The one thing that’s really worked out is on Monday’s they’ll do a FaceTime or Skype. That really makes a difference because it gives them a lot more identity and security to see you. That’s the most difficult thing right now in terms of a lot people with their older parents, trying to keep them calm and not being afraid, concerned or confused. That’s the biggest challenge with the stay-at-home stuff.”

With their sons Steven and Tyler in town, the Bramans were able to celebrate Easter together. Yet there is very little idle time otherwise, especially with more than 30 track & field student-athletes, many of them internationals, still in town.

“Professionally, there’s two sides to it. It’s the group I coach – the distance guys – and I communicate with them on the GroupMe and I’ll text back and forth. They’ll send me what they’re doing…So it’s giving them some feedback – it’s all voluntary – and trying to keep them motivated because the eyes on the prize; the prize is a long way away.

The biggest concern I’ve had has been the online educating…A lot of them really do well in our Academic Services program, with tutors, learning specialists, academic advisors and coaches face-to-face. That’s my greatest concern. I was never a good online learner and I’m still not. I just worry about those who really need that personal connection.

The second greatest concern about the kids is how they’re going to pay for everything; how they’re going to pay their rent and how they’re going to eat. We’re a partial scholarship sport. People don’t realize those income streams that the student-athletes count on and you can’t have postseason money if there’s no season.”

Braman continues to work with track & field administrative oversight Ashton Henderson and the athletic administration in an effort to, “keep them whole and get them from now until the fall.”

“You’re trying to keep their spirits up, keep them motivated and challenge them; trying to push them like a parent would,” he said. – Bob Thomas

Brooke Niles

Beach Volleyball Coach

“The Coronavirus has impacted our family in a few different ways. Our season was cut short and although it was a tough pill for me to swallow, I hurt more for our players. It was tough to deliver the news to them and see the disappointment on their faces and tears in their eyes. I’m old enough to know that life is full of ups and downs but never did I think so many people would be affected by something this big at the same time. It’s a little overwhelming to think about how the world will be different moving forward but life goes on and this is a great time to think about what is important.

Not only has my job been affected but my husband, Nick, was in the Olympic qualification process for beach volleyball. He had just played a tournament in Qatar where he had finished in fifth place with his partner. The two of them had then flown halfway across the world from Qatar to Sydney, Australia, as they were supposed to play in their 12th Olympic qualifying event.

For beach volleyball, you and your partner need 12 events together in the Olympic qualification period and at the end of that period, you have to be one of the top-15 teams in the world to qualify. Nick was in Sydney for less than 24 hours before he got back on a plane, this time to come back home to Tallahassee. We were so fortunate that he was able to get back into the country safely and healthy as the virus began to get worse.

After that, it doesn’t get any easier. Since the American beach volleyball teams are so strong, you then have to be one of the top two pairs in the country in order to qualify. It’s a tight race. The other two American teams already have 12 finishes which makes it even harder since Nick was not able to compete in his 12th tournament.

The Olympics have now been being postponed until the summer of 2021, however, the qualification process for beach volleyball has not yet been determined moving forward. There are a lot of variables in play; when will the tour startup? Who will host the events? How will the qualification process look moving forward?

So many unknowns in both of our worlds so we are trying to just live day by day and not think too far ahead for the future. This is a really big challenge for both of us because Nick has lived his life in two to four-year increments for the last 10 years due to the Olympics and I like to plan out everything!

We are so lucky to have two beautiful, healthy boys to keep us busy during this time. They think quarantine is amazing because they get to be with their mom and dad every day! We are also lucky to have a pretty sweet home gym in our garage and plenty of space to work out and stay active. Nick is still lifting and conditioning to stay in shape and ready for whenever his tour resumes. Being that he is now 40 years old, he knows that if he takes too much of a break, it will become a lot harder to get back in shape so we try and hold each other accountable every day. Other than that, we are staying home, social distancing and trying to think of ways that we can better ourselves and others during this time.” – as told to Bret Clein

Vicki Cupp

Special Assistant to the Athletics Director

My parents are almost 87 years old but have always been active, relatively healthy and self-sufficient. After considering for about two years that the responsibility of maintaining a home was getting to be too much for them, they transitioned to The Grove at Canopy, a local assisted living facility on February 1 and were beginning to settle in to the new lifestyle.

On March 11, I took them to dinner, never dreaming that everything would change the next day. On March 12, the facility sent an email that the facility may soon be closed to visitors and within a couple of days everything was on lock-down.

Since that time, everything has been quite a blur. On March 21, I received a call from the executive director stating that while my mom was participating in their Walking Club, she had fallen face-first onto the pavement and that EMS had been called. I met mom at the ER where she had multiple facial abrasions and bruising, a badly cut hand, and was in severe pain. After several tests, it was determined that she had a broken arm – near her shoulder. We returned to the facility after several hours, but, due to the Governor’s orders in place, I was unable to enter their apartment or stay with her. How heartbreaking that was. This occurred prior to FSU closing to staff; however, I had to isolate and work remotely for a couple of weeks since we couldn’t risk potential COVID exposure to my coworkers after my visit to the ER.

Since that time, it has been very challenging. Their nurses and caregivers have been superb and have taken initiative to report to me when things don’t look just right. My mom is always going to say “I’m fine” and I obviously can’t see her myself to determine if this is true. Because of verbal reports from my dad to the contrary, the staff and I have had to text pictures and updates which were forwarded to the doctor. Her broken arm resulted in a visit to her orthopedic doctor. She now needs surgery, but due to her age and medical history, the significant nature of the surgery, and the concern over COVID in the hospital, her arm will have to mend on its own the best it can.

As we finally managed to get the necessary sling and pain medicines to aid in her healing, a visit to the cardiologist was necessitated earlier this week and it was then determined that mom needed to have her pacemaker generator replaced, which was done on an outpatient basis. The hospital was pretty much a ghost town, with only one visitor per patient (to give them a ride home). It’s hard to see your mom – who is the strongest woman you know, and never a complainer – have to struggle with two major health issues and not be able to care for her hands-on and to only get to drop her off is heartbreaking. Further, to see your parents through a glass door while you both wear masks and not get to hug or stay with them during this time is something you could never imagine.

I am also the health care surrogate for my aunt who is in an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale. I visit her about twice a year and have been unable to make my regular spring visit. Because Broward County has been hit hard with the virus, the residents must stay in their rooms most of the time. And we only communicate via letters since she is severely hearing impaired. The administrator has sent me weekly updates of things she needs and how she is doing. I know she is lonely without seeing her fellow residents or having visitors.

All of this has made me more aware of a few things, however. I am fortunate to have been with my mom at the hospital when she needed me. My heart goes out to those who are not able to be with their loved ones who pass away during this time.

And I am also grateful for times spent together with loved ones that we often take for granted.

I am also thankful for the staff of two good assisted living facilities who love and care for my parents and aunt like they are family…and they leave their own families every day to do this.

And, finally, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the concern and friendship from my Seminole family (coworkers) who, although some of them have never met my parents, have reached out to them with cards of encouragement and pictures created by their children. It is an awful time of inconvenience, but also a time when we draw on our faith and the strength we get from those whose love and caring nature are revealed in the most chaotic of times.

Florida State University Athletics

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