In the Face of Adversity

From a traumatic death in the family to a devastating natural disaster to a nearly career-ending heart condition, Norfolk State senior Cahiem Brown has endured enough obstacles and hardship for a lifetime.

But those trials and tribulations have led Cahiem to where he is today and shaped him into the person he has become. That influence is shown in every aspect of his life – as a father, son, brother, mentor, role model, student, and of course, basketball player.

Too many adjectives exist to describe the New Yorker and his story in a few short words – inspiring, motivating, and determined come to mind. An easier task is identifying what Cahiem Shy-Tiek Brown is not: a quitter.

Born and raised in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, Cahiem didn’t have to look far for a basketball-enthused community. The area has produced many professional standouts from Stephon Marbury to Sebastian Telfair, Cahiem’s cousin. 

Michael Brown, Cahiem’s father and a former basketball player himself, introduced his son to the sport from the time he could walk, and it didn’t take long for Cahiem to fall in love with the game. 

“Basketball’s been in my family since my grandad to my uncles to my dad, so we were all naturally attracted to basketball,” Cahiem said. “I started at around age two, and I started playing in organized tournaments when I was five.”

While athleticism came from his father’s side, plenty of Cahiem’s personality off the court stemmed from his mother, Lashayia Watkins. Describing himself as a “momma’s boy,” he developed his outgoing confidence from her influence. The two were inseparable.

“She would blast music and dance, so she’d dance with me,” Cahiem said. “We’d have karaoke nights, so she’d bring the microphone and let me sing. I performed in front of everybody.”

Watkins showed Cahiem how to play cards and encouraged his passion for drawing and painting. She also taught him how to control his emotions, exhibiting patience as he grew up with energetic younger siblings.

But tragedy struck the Brown family when Watkins passed away on Aug. 15, 2006, coming down with an unexpected illness. Cahiem was just seven years old at the time.

Cahiem visited his ailing mother in the hospital just days before her passing, and never forgot the bravery she exhibited despite the severity of the situation.

“She was acting like there was nothing wrong with her, playing music off the laptop still – just joyful,” he said. “That’s the last memory I have of her. Even though she was hurt, she didn’t show it. She hid it all for us.”

Her passing and lasting memory impacted Cahiem for the rest of his life, but he limited his display of grief and attempted to put up a wall of bravery like his mother had in her final moments. As the oldest child in the family, he needed to provide support for his brothers while processing the tragedy that had occurred.

“They were young so they didn’t really understand what was going on, but they knew Mom was gone,” Cahiem said. “We didn’t have the answers, but together my Dad and I had to make sure everything was right. I think a part of that made me numb because I couldn’t feel the emotions I wanted to feel since I had to play a bigger role.”

That leadership extended beyond just his attitude. Cahiem stepped up wherever he could around the household as his father worked long hours to provide for the family.

“It was hard, he’s been through a lot,” Michael Brown said. “He helped out a lot when I had to work. He picked them up and helped them with schoolwork, he was there. Whatever feelings he had, he put them aside to take care of his little brothers while keeping his mind together.” 

Cahiem’s strength and perseverance would be tested in extreme fashion again during the fall of 2012, when tropical storm Hurricane Sandy hit New York City on Oct. 29. Over a 48-hour period, unprecedented wind and rain did destructive levels of damage throughout the city and left hundreds of thousands of residents without power for an extended period of time.

Living in one of the locations most brutally impacted by the storm, Cahiem and his family spent the ensuing weeks fighting to survive as the city recovered and rebuilt from the storm’s impact. Their only source of nutrition and hydration came from prepackaged, MRE-style (Meals Ready to Eat) packets distributed daily by the United States military.

During that time, Cahiem and his family utilized candles and flashlights indoors when the sun went down. They had to leave their home to access the simplest of luxuries – like taking a shower or using the restroom. 

“It was hard, we did everything we could the best way we could,” Michael Brown said. “We’ve never experienced anything like that.”

While Coney Island looked nothing like the busy, bustling environment it’s known for – stores and restaurants all around the neighborhood remained closed without power – Cahiem couldn’t help but appreciate how the community came together during those trying times. 

“People started sweeping up the floors, cleaning up the streets,“ he said. “Cleaning up the basketball courts too, I remember that. It was like, even though we’re going through this, the kids need a reason to be outside now.”

As he grew and matured as a teenager in New York City, there remained one constant in Cahiem’s life: the orange sphere that followed him around wherever he went. The basketball court became the space where he felt most comfortable. 

But as any New York product will emphasize, hooping in the Big Apple carries a unique style of elite talent mixed with fierce toughness. The city instilled a hard-nosed mentality on the court that Caheim carries with him to this day.

“In New York, everybody has talent, and everybody works hard,” he said. “It’s always dog-eat-dog. Iron sharpens iron. No matter what, someone is going to test you to your limit, you just can’t break or fold.”

Evolving his game on the city’s countless outdoor courts, Cahiem developed the ability to perform at the brightest stages from a young age. He and his father often watched the AND1 Mixtape Tour together, captivated by the skill and showmanship of legends like Hot Sauce and Skip to My Lou Rafer Alston.

Racking up accolades at a variety of tournaments and showcases, Cahiem became comfortable playing in front of large crowds well before he set foot on a college campus. In fact, he came to love the bright lights, feeding off the hype that comes with a large audience.

“The environment of the crowd, it boosts my energy and gives me an excitement and drive to go forward,” he said. 

Cahiem made the decision to further his basketball and academic career at Georgia Highlands, a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and the contrast became quickly clear. He’d left the fast, pressure-packed environment of New York City to a quiet, calm town in Roma, Ga.  

Although a difficult adjustment, Cahiem said his time in Georgia proved beneficial by giving him an opportunity to focus. With less distraction from the surrounding atmosphere, he could hone in on schoolwork and basketball.

“I had my own apartment, it was always quiet,” he said. “It was peaceful, you could relax. In New York, you never really got a chance to relax.”

Another life-changing event occurred during that stretch, but it came as a blessing instead of an obstacle. From that point on, Cahiem had a new top priority, one that would always go before basketball for the rest of his life: fatherhood.

Amelia Brown was born on October 5, 2017. 

Cahiem enjoyed a new outlook on life and its priorities after the birth of his daughter. His primary focus became providing for her and building lasting memories at each stage of her life. 

“It really changed everything for me,” he said. “Because of all the stuff I’d been through, I was always told to keep it inside and not let anything get to me. But when I had my daughter, I could kind of let everything go and be a soft person for her.”

Amelia and her mother moved to Rome during Cahiem’s first year at Georgia Highlands, allowing him to see his daughter every day. The new role didn’t come without its fair share of challenges, of course. He spent each day navigating the balancing act of a collegiate student-athlete and devoted father.

“The hard part about it was understanding I couldn’t do everything,” Cahiem said. “I had to realize that I was only able to control what I could control. I had to figure out how to leave my home stuff at home, and my basketball stuff on the court.”

That newfound perspective played a pivotal role in the next obstacle of his life: a serious health scare.

Feeling an overload of chest pain during a workout one day, Cahiem immediately went to the emergency room. He recalled the ensuing electrocardiogram (EKG) showing severely unstable results, and he was admitted for further testing.

Cahiem was eventually diagnosed with myocarditis, a rare condition that causes inflammation of the heart muscle, reducing its ability to pump blood. Doctors cautioned him of the potential dangers that an immediate return to the basketball court could bring, with the impacts potentially putting his life in jeopardy. 

At a different time in his life, Cahiem may not have heeded the warnings and chosen to ignore the consequences of playing the sport he loves. But as a father of a young child, he realized that his decision would have far-reaching impact beyond his own well-being.

“I lost my Mom at a young age, and my daughter was even younger -- two at that point,” he said. “I didn’t want her to experience her life without me, not having the proper guidance or not understanding who I was.”

With former Florida forward (and Norfolk native) Keyontae Johnson’s on-court collapse that same year from a similar condition, Cahiem knew he couldn’t take any chances. He stepped away from the game of basketball, acknowledging the possibility that he may never play again.

With the COVID-19 pandemic at its peak, Cahiem remained extra cautious considering the dangers of his heart condition. He slowly began a road of medication, rehabilitation, and recovery with his No. 1 supporter – Amelia – by his side.

“At a point in time, she thought the doctors were bad and I had to tell her that they were actually helping me,” he said. “There were just a lot of questions that she was really curious about.”

When doctors informed him that he could make a return to the court, with a steady progression, Cahiem couldn’t wait to get back to work. He needed patience though after such a long break, which he found out the hard way in his first practice back.

“I couldn’t run,” Cahiem said. “I wasn’t necessarily rusty, but I definitely had to build up my endurance gradually.”

In his final season at Georgia Highlands, Cahiem averaged 14.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per contest in 11 appearances. The limited season didn’t earn him NJCAA All-America accolades like the previous year but marked an impressive comeback after a lengthy period away from the court.

With two years of eligibility remaining, Cahiem had earned the chance to play for a Division I basketball program, he just needed to find the right fit. Impressed by the reputation of head coach Robert Jones, another native of New York City, he made the choice to attend Norfolk State University.

“Coach Jones let me know that no matter the situation, they still had their faith in me.” Cahiem said. “That’s what I needed to hear at that point because I needed hope. He was willing to put his trust in me, so I put my trust in him.”

Cahiem’s career at Norfolk State got off to a quick start, scoring 17 points against Tennessee State in the team’s third matchup of the season. With his heart condition in a stable place, the birth of his son Cayson that summer, and his basketball career taking the next steps, things looked to finally be shaping up how they should for Cahiem. 

It was only a matter of time before the injury bug bit again.

Cahiem ruptured two ligaments in his left ankle, bringing his season to a close far earlier than he’d hoped. Unable to take the court during the Spartans’ MEAC Championship run, he voiced his support from the sideline throughout the postseason. He underwent surgery at the end of March, starting another road to recovery.

“It felt like every time something good happens, you go backwards two steps,” he said. “When that happened, I just tried to stay positive.”

For the first time since his JUCO days, Cahiem enjoyed a (somewhat) injury-free campaign in 2022-23. Although nagging ankle issues came up at multiple points during the year, he played in all but one game, tallying 11.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per contest. 

In addition to his individual breakthroughs, the team’s success gave him memorable experiences through experiences he’d never imagined as a kid. His favorite off-court adventure came during the team’s NCAA Tournament trip in 2022, when the Spartans received a behind-the-scenes tour of AT&T Stadium, home to the Dallas Cowboys.

“Everywhere we went, I had to take a video, and my coaches even asked ‘why are you always taking videos?” Cahiem recalled with a grin. “I had to tell them that I’m from Coney Island and I’m not used to any of this. I never got to fly on planes and visit different arenas like this. It’s a dream come true.”

While the trips provided plenty of picture-worthy snapshots, none meant as much as the Spartans’ two trips to New Jersey his senior season. The first, a road win at Monmouth, gave Cahiem’s younger brothers the opportunity to watch their role model compete in person for the first time since high school.

“I was nervous because I’m my little brothers’ idol, so I didn’t want to play bad,” Cahiem said. “But it wasn’t even about me playing, it was their experience that they enjoyed. They got to see how it looked outside of T.V.”

The Spartans returned to The Garden State in February for the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, hosted by Michael B. Jordan, to face Hampton in a special rendition of the Battle of the Bay rivalry. Cahiem scored 16 points in the Norfolk State victory, in front of 13,451 fans, but two small supporters in the stands gave him all the boost he needed.

“It was a little bit too much for my son at first because he’s not used to the loud noises, but he got used to it,” he said. “But my daughter is a vet, she likes going to games and screaming and all that.”

On track to receive his diploma this summer, Cahiem hopes to continue his basketball dreams by pursuing a professional basketball career in the NBA or overseas. With their Norfolk connection, he’s developed a friendship with the aforementioned Keyontae Johnson (now at Kansas State). 

The pair have developed a bond from their similar stories, both making inspiring comebacks despite life-threatening heart conditions.

“That’s my dog,” Cahiem said. “We’ve definitely spoken about it.”

When his playing career comes to an end, though, Cahiem knows his impact will have just begun. A sociology major with a minor in criminal justice, he hopes his career path leads him back to New York City as a mental health advocate for young athletes.

“I want to be someone who is a voice for mental health to young minorities in the community, especially with athletes,” he said. “I didn’t have anybody like that until I got here, to Norfolk State.”

If there’s someone up to the challenge to become that source of inspiration, who better than Cahiem Brown? The hometown hero has already provided an unbelievable example of perseverance, humility, and triumph in the face of overwhelming misfortune.

“They understand. They know me and they know what I’ve been through,” he said. “They support me 100%.”