'Noles visit storm-damaged Panama City; Robinson plans free camp
Florida State defensive end Janarius Robinson knew exactly what to expect.
His head coach, however, was taken aback.
Although he had seen countless reports on television and knew that one of his players had lost his childhood home when Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida panhandle six months ago, Willie Taggart still was unprepared for what he witnessed while driving into Panama City on Thursday.
"You've seen it before on TV," Taggart said. "But it doesn't do it justice, like seeing it in person."
Taggart, Robinson and wide receiver Keyshawn Helton, who hails from nearby Pensacola, made the trek from Tallahassee to Panama City for the latest stop on Taggart's spring booster tour. While the focus of the event was to discuss football and the Seminoles' upcoming season, the devastation from the powerful storm was still on the minds of many.
"Riding through, not really much has changed [during the cleanup efforts]," said Robinson, a former standout at Panama City's Bay High School. "There's still a lot of work to do in the city."
Robinson, a rising junior who started eight games last season, is planning to do his part to help with the healing process.
He announced before Thursday's event that he will be back in Panama City on June 29, hosting a free youth football camp for children in first through eighth grades. The camp will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tommy Oliver Stadium, and online registration will begin next week.
"I want to give back to the kids," Robinson said.
Few people know more about Hurricane Michael's wrath than the Seminoles' defensive end. His family home was completely destroyed in the storm -- it was the same house that his mother was raised in -- and his loved ones have had to move in with extended family for the time being.
With clearance from FSU's compliance department and the NCAA, Robinson was allowed to start a GoFundMe account in October to raise money for his family to rebuild on their land. The stated goal was $75,000, but more than $140,000 poured in from Florida State fans and other supporters.
Robinson's story also was shared with a national audience during ESPN's "College GameDay" show on the morning of the Seminoles' home game with Clemson.
When asked about Robinson's ordeal on Thursday, Taggart said he has been highly impressed by the defensive end's character and perseverance.
"I couldn't be any prouder of J-Rob," Taggart said. "The things he went through during the season and then here during the offseason. To be able to cope with that and take care of his business in the classroom, take care of his business on the football field. Not many people can do that.
"But he's destined for greatness. And for him to overcome that, hopefully our team can learn some things from J-Rob, in dealing with adversity."
Although his family still hasn't been able to rebuild their home, Robinson said he is trying to find positives from the tragedy.
"It keeps me in a mindset of knowing what I have to do to make a better way for my family," he said. "Having that stuck in my head motivates me."
Several of Panama City's schools and sports programs were hit hard by the storm, and donations are still being accepted for equipment for various high school programs, including football.
Taggart expressed hope that each of the programs will be back on track for the 2019-20 school year.
"For a lot of kids, that (athletics) is like their safe haven," the second-year Seminoles head coach said. "I know it was for me when I was young. With all of this that's going on, that can bring a lot of happiness back to them ... and some normalcy to their lives."
Before wrapping up their interviews, the FSU contingent was asked by a reporter what words of encouragement they would share with the storm-damaged community.
"I would say stay strong and work hard, and everything they lost will come back," Robinson said.
Added Taggart: "You know it's gonna take awhile, but we're all Floridians, and we'll have each other's back. We're gonna make sure that we get Panama City back to where it belongs."
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