Georgia Tech tight end Brett Seither copes with death of his mother

Beth was in Minocqua, Wisconsin, a summer retreat for her family spanning generations, when her aorta ruptured. The unexpected and jarring nature of her death still is at the forefront of Seither’s consciousness as the Georgia Tech tight end readies himself for his final season of college football.

“It’s still surreal to me, the whole thing,” Seither said. “I don’t know how long that will be (until it’s not).”

Seither was still trying to grasp the loss of his mother in August when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. The injury meant missing the 2024 season and trying to become an increasingly impactful part of Tech’s offense after he had seven catches for 101 yards and four touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets in 2023.

Looking back, Seither thinks maybe the two events were connected. Not only did he have more time to grieve and reflect, but he also was able to return to Florida in October to be with family when Hurricane Milton wrecked the Tampa area.

“And now I have another year now to get healthier and stronger,” Seither added. “Trying to find a positive in everything, and if that is a positive, I’d like to think that she has a plan.”

Beth Seither, according to her obituary, was born in Illinois and had a long career as a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines. She married Brett’s father, Albert Seither, and the two were raising their family in Maryland when Brett’s athletic career began to take shape.

Brett said for years his mother would drive him and his brother, Bryce, to middle school in Delaware in the mornings, pick them up after school and take Brett to his football and baseball practices, never missing a beat.

Credit: Kayla Renie/UGAAA

Credit: Kayla Renie/UGAAA

The Seithers moved to Florida ahead of Brett’s junior year of high school, and that was when he became a college football prospect, playing for Clearwater Central Catholic. Seither signed with Georgia and spent 2019-22 with the Bulldogs, where he formed a strong relationship with Buster Faulkner, now Tech’s offensive coordinator.

Seither transferred to Tech ahead of the 2023 season.

Beth was the “loudest mom,” her obituary reads, wherever Brett played, whether that was in Clearwater, Athens or Atlanta.

“If I really had to describe her, I’d say very comfortable in her own skin. She was never embarrassed to be herself. Never quiet to speak up in what she believed in,” Seither said. “I think that’s one of the things that I take most from her and try to follow now that she’s not around.”

Seither said he will pay tribute to his mother in some fashion this season, and he knows there will be a heavy flood of emotion when he reaches the end zone for the first time without her in the stands.

He added his mother’s death has forced him to be better about communicating with friends and loved ones, answering the phone or returning calls to those he knows he should stay in touch with. Days before her death, Seither said, Beth called Brett to check in, but he let the phone ring, allowing himself to believe he would call back later.

“That would have been the last time I had spoken to her,” he said. “I feel like as you get older you start to realize that life is just fragile and just so precious. I think that’s the other thing I’ve tried to take from her, call people more. I try to reach out to people more, I try to stay in touch with people more. You never know how quick it’ll be gone.”