He lost everything.
Not just the childhood home Janarius Robinson grew up in, but the school next door, the church down the street.
All of it destroyed by Hurricane Michael, the powerful storm ripping through Florida’s Gulf Coast last week. Panama City, where the Florida State sophomore calls home, was one of the areas hardest hit.
“If you didn’t know where you was, you wouldn’t know it,” he said. “Nothing looks the same.”
Robinson, a defensive end on the Seminoles football team, returned to the Panhandle on Friday after evacuating with his family to Georgia to escape the storm’s path. When they arrived, they found their house in pieces.
“It was devastating to see something you’ve grown up in all your life just destroyed and ripped to shreds,” Robinson said. “… it really looked like somebody just dropped a nuclear bomb on us.”
Thanks to the NCAA, the public is allowed to help Robinson’s family in their recovery.
Robinson created a GoFundMe page on Tuesday, asking for donations to assist in the rebuild.
According to Florida State Associate Athletic Director Rob Wilson, the fundraiser was cleared by FSU’s compliance office, who worked with the NCAA to seek a waiver for approval, which was granted.
School boosters may also donate to the fundraiser without impacting Robinson’s eligibility.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe page had received over $50,000 in donations. The goal is to raise $75,000.
“It feels good,” Robinson said, “to have the love and support to help me get through this tough time in my life.”
Robinson, who returned to practice on Tuesday, said his mother is living with a family friend.
“It's been better getting back to practice after going through what I’ve been going through for the last week and a half,” he said. “This is the time for me to get my mind away and off of things that have happened.”
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