Family bonds through Husker football as 5-year-old battles brain cancer

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Schonlau family has been finding joy through the Huskers as their 5-year-old daughter goes through cancer treatment.

Drew Schonlau has passed along his love for the Nebraska football team to his children.

But this season, he finds himself more than a thousand miles away from home. And instead of sitting on the couch to watch the game with his children, he’s in the hospital with his daughter.

“This has been devastating,” Nicole Schonlau said. “We don’t know how much time we have with her.”

While on family vacation this summer, Nicole Schonlau noticed some strange symptoms in 5-year-old Aiyla, who is called “Bean.”

She fell off of a bed, and one of her eyes was rolling up toward the ceiling.

Nicole and Drew took her to the hospital. The doctor had a devastating diagnosis.

“She broke the news that they had found a tumor in my daughter’s brain stem,” Nicole said. “And we were just absolutely shocked.”

The tumor is inoperable. After some research, the Schonlaus decided the best place for treatment was at the children’s hospital in Philadelphia.

Nicole and Bean packed up their lives and moved from Denver to Pennsylvania. They have been there for months now.

“My husband has to go back and forth between Denver and Philly because my son is still in school; he’s a second grader,” Nicole said.

But throughout Bean’s treatment, Drew has been the family’s support system in many ways.

He has kept his full-time job while also traveling to be with Bean for proton therapy and radiation.

Drew is from Omaha, and he grew up a Husker football fan.

He’s taught his kids how to cheer “Go Big Red!”

And one thing that has brought them joy during this time has been watching the football games together.

“He will collect his little girl, snuggle her all up and get all situated,” Nicole said.

The family watches the games on his visits to Philadelphia.

Soon, Bean will reach a new stage of recovery.

She has not yet beat cancer, but she will ring the bell on Dec. 3 to mark the end of her proton therapy treatment. That also happens to be Drew’s birthday.

“I asked my husband what he wanted for his birthday, and it killed me because he said he wants our daughter to be cancer-free,” Nicole said. “I can’t give that to him, but it started making me think this man deserves some kind of grand gesture.”

Nicole is hoping to get Drew some sort of recognition from the Huskers. Not only for his dedication to the team, but also to his family during this incredibly difficult situation.

“The Huskers have been his rock during this time,” she said. “And they bring him so much joy and happiness.”

After sending an email, a Husker representative reached out to Nicole to let her know that the team would send something soon.

“I just want him to be acknowledged,” she said. “And I want him to feel special.”