Clemson assistant gives thoughtful shoutout to Bryan Bresee's sister amid cancer battle
New Clemson football assistant Nick Eason gave a heartfelt shoutout to Bryan Bresee‘s sister after meeting her, as she battles brain cancer. Eason was hired by the Tigers as their defensive tackles coach and run game coordinator after spending last year as the defensive line coach for Auburn. After meeting Ella Bresee, Bryan’s sister, he was inspired by her story and shared that she would be a key motivating force for him this season.
Nick Eason inspired by Bryan Bresee’s sister battling cancer
“We will be playing for a lot of things this year,” said Eason on his Twitter account. “But this one will be at the front of our hearts. I’ve met a lot of tough people in my life but Ella Bresee is the real deal! Ella strong!!!”
Bresee is a rising star within the Clemson defensive line, although injury kept him from the field for most of the 2021 season as he played in just four games after tearing his ACL against NC State. Bresee was named ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 and was a first-team All-ACC selection as a freshman. In his freshman year, he recorded 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, a forced fumble and a safety.
Prior to going down to injury early last year, he added another 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception in just four games.
As he battles to return to form after such a major injury, his sister’s own battle has served as a major source of inspiration for him and his Clemson teammates and coaches.
Ella Bresee was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, according to a report from TigerNet. Medulloblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer, presenting with a malignant brain tumor that begins in the cerebellum. The tumor can spread through cerebrospinal fluid throughout the brain. Ella is Bryan’s younger sister, a high school student — and began chemotherapy in August 2021. Her positivity has kept her a source of inspiration for Bryan, and that positivity has spread throughout the Clemson locker room.