The many friends, family members and former students in the life of Syidah O’Bryant could not stand to see Sy, Sis, Cuz, Auntie Sah, Ms. O suffer any longer from the muscle-stealing ravages of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and yet they all seemed to know why she held on so long.
The heart that pumped blood to those other failing muscles still had work to do. Maybe no longer for her own body, but the immense body of former students, coaches, nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters who’d all been gifted with some portion of that wide-open heart at some (or many) point in their lives.
“I’m her older brother by four years, and she taught me how to be more compassionate and show the love,” said Altarik White, a former football star and head coach in Newark who is founder and executive director of Leaders for Life, Inc., a non-profit organization in the city that, among other things, helps students ages 16-25 earn their High School Equivalency Diplomas.
Syidah died Sunday at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark after her courageous battle with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, an affliction that was detected about two years ago after knee surgery for what was then presumed as the lingering effects of wear-and-tear from her basketball playing days at University High in Newark and John C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C. She had turned 49 years old in April.
Viewing will be held Monday at Cotton Funeral Service in Newark from 6-9 p.m., and Tuesday at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark from 9-11 a.m., followed by the service at Metropolitan from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
After her playing days, O’Bryant, a lifelong Newark resident, taught for over 10 years at Avon Avenue School in Newark, and then became the first Black female athletic director at Newark Central High School 10 years ago after earning her master’s degree in education and administration at St. Peter’s University. She also had served as an assistant girls basketball coach at both Shabazz and University and was head coach for several seasons at Newark Tech prior to her appointment at Central.
Syidah was as competitive as they come in between the lines; she expected plenty from her teammates, but always more from herself.
“She was never scared and always showed up to compete. Although she was intense, Syidah was one of the most compassionate people you will ever meet,” said Brad Howard, current head boys basketball coach at Payne Tech in Newark and O’Bryant’s cousin. “You can use testimony from every co-worker, teammate, administrator, or student from Avon, University, Shabazz, Newark Tech, Central, and most everybody that she came in contact with knew of her willingness to assist.”
In her seventh and eighth-grade classrooms, Ms. O’Bryant could be stern and sometimes unyielding when it came to following classroom rules or tending to assignments. That’s because structure was an absolute necessity to raise the probability of success for her children, many of whom came from broken, often impoverished homes. Discipline had to be the fuel that maintained the structure.
But without fail, love and understanding were always the navigating tools Syidah employed for that sometimes bumpy ride.
“Syidah was an exceptional individual who made a significant impact on the lives of numerous children in the city of Newark,” said Shabazz athletic director Noel Colon. “Her remarkable presence, combined with her inspiring spirit and unwavering commitment to motivating others, left an indelible mark on the community. Her absence will be deeply felt, and her legacy will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing her.”
The late Syidah Bryant with brothers Maurice Ware (left) and Altarik White.Courtesy Altarik White
The students at Central knew Ms. O’Bryant as their loudest, most optimistic cheerleader, and yet still always grounded in both reality and fair-mindedness. She wanted as many students as possible engaged in extra-curricular activities, if only to keep them from drifting off to the dangerous temptations of the street for a few more precious hours.
“She implemented like five new sports at Central in her time as athletic director. She was always for the kids, always wanting them to be involved in different things to keep them active, keep them safe,” said longtime Central boys basketball coach Shawn McCray.
“She was just a great person who I first got to know when I started my Zoo Crew (youth basketball league) because a lot of our kids in the program went to Avon, where she was teaching. She was always fair, but at the same time she could be stern,” he said.
“Syidah was one tough woman. She never let anything or anyone slip through the cracks. She was always by the books and held coaches accountable,” said former Newark East Side boys basketball coach and educator Bryant Garvin. “We spoke many times during our encounters and I appreciate everything she has done for the community of Newark.
“One thing I loved about her was her consistency,” he said. “She didn’t play the political game when it came to being fair. She is one of the most driven women I’ve known over the past two and a half decades.”
That drive was conducted with a heavy right foot to the pedal whenever she was promoting her Central students, or Newark student-athletes in general, whenever she was attending meetings with other athletic director from Essex County or around the state.
Every other athletic director in the Brick City knew that behind O’Bryant’s warm smile was a whirlwind of reprehension if she ever felt her Blue Devils were being slighted.
“Syidah was a Newarker born and bred. She’d always put her students and Newark first in the fight for seeding, fair play and equality,” said Newark Arts athletic director Ron Fazio. “During her last years as at Central, she could always be counted on to claim ‘Central No. 1.′ She was a pleasure to work with and always fought hard for her school. I’m going to miss her.”
Join the line, Ron. In the days following O’Bryant’s death, hundreds of touching posts hit the social media platforms to tell everyone who may not have already known about her work ethic, her fierce loyalty to her coaches and colleagues and her love and undying support for the children of Newark.
“Our family is truly grateful for the hundreds and hundreds of texts and calls and words of encouragement we’ve received. So many people hve been showing their love,” White said. “They loved Sy and they believed in who she was and what she did. She was just an amazing person who touched a lot of people.”
Family came first for Syidah, who also is survived by brothers Alboo White and Maurice Ware, sister Samerah Bryant, father John Walker, mother Jacqueline Travis Bryant, and several nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by a brother, Shahib, and a niece, Jordan White, who died of cancer in 2022 at the tender age of 20. Jordan’s was Altarik’s daughter.
“They were the best of friends. When Jordan died, I know it took a lot out of Sy. With Jordan it was always, ‘Me and Auntie Sah, me and Auntie Sah.’ They were so close,” White said.
Auntie Sah somehow saw the same compassionate heart she revealed on a daily basis tucked behind the protruding chest of older brother Altarik, who was always known as a tough-as-nails, record-setting running back at both Shabazz and William Paterson College, then as a hard-driving head coach who guided Weequahic to its first NJSIAA sectional state title in 2006.
“Sy told me to be who I am, because she knew I was gonna kick their asses; that’s how I got things done. But she also told me, ‘Big bro,’ You’ve got to build them up, too’ you’ve got to love them; you’ve got to go that extra mile.’
“She’d say, ‘Big bro, you can be tough, but they get tough all the time. What do they know but tough? Who’s ever going to love them? Who’s going to show them what love is?’ I learned from my little sister about humility and about being able to love these children as I tried to help them. She showed me I could be a big brother, a father, an uncle, a friend, a confidante.”
White is the father of AJ White, a rising senior two-way lineman for Piscataway, who started as a sophomore and had been turning in stellar performances on either side of the ball when he went down with a season-ending knee injury last October in a game against Sayreville.
AJ was disconsolate over the injury. He hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps and achieve in the game at the college level. In the mindset of a high school junior, this was a setback that had no cure. Until Aunit Sah called.
“She was the first person at called AJ and she said, ‘That’s OK, I ordered you a much better knee and will be here tomorrow. You’ll be back.’ “He felt much better about it after that. She lifted his spirits. She lifted everyone’s spirits.”
Mike Kinney can be reached at mkinney@njadvancemedia.c
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