Brian Braman, a former NFL player who spent seven seasons in the league and celebrated a Super Bowl win with the Eagles in February 2018, is currently fighting a “life-threatening” and “very rare” form of cancer. This information comes from a GoFundMe page dedicated to his situation.
While the fundraiser doesn’t specify the type of cancer, 38-year-old Braman has undergone CAR T-cell therapy in Seattle as part of a 12-week regimen and has even had to sell his last car to cover expenses.
The campaign was initiated by William Jones in February, who later provided updates. He noted that Braman returned with family on June 20, sharing, “we faced challenges recovering from multiple surgeries due to all these treatments, which left him weakened.”
Unfortunately, as Jones explained, by the time Braman was fit enough to continue chemotherapy, the cancer had advanced rapidly, now encroaching on vital organs. They’ve explored various treatment options, but none have been effective against this aggressive cancer.
However, Braman remains hopeful. He is looking into other trial treatments and is committed to battling through this situation.
The initial fundraising goal was set at $25,000, but as of Friday morning, it surpassed $38,000, thanks in part to a generous $10,000 donation from former Texans teammate JJ Watt.
In a June 20 update, Jones mentioned that “Brian will have his food essentials.” Maintaining energy through his diverse diet is crucial, especially since the necessary foods and vitamins can be quite pricey, along with the fresh juices he needs. This funding also helps relieve some of the medical costs not covered by insurance, allowing Braman to focus on recovery.
Originally signing with the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2011 after playing at West Texas A&M, Braman devoted his first three years in Houston largely to special teams. He played a significant role on special teams during his time with the Eagles from 2014-2016.
Braman made his way back to Philadelphia just before the start of the 2017 playoffs after being released by the Saints. In that Super Bowl win against the Patriots, he recorded one tackle on kickoffs, marking the end of his NFL career.
