Gabrielle Coleman | Family
Elijah Coleman | Father | Danny Sapani | b. 1952 - d. 1992Ā
Sheila Bryant | Mother | Angela Bassett | b. 1956Ā
Joseph Bryant | Step-father | Clarke Peters | b. 1952Ā
Elijah āEliā Coleman (Father)
Eli Coleman was a reporter for the Charlotte Observer from the time he was 24 years old - the very year Gabrielle was born. He was always a source of warmth and doted on his small family, working hard to support them. He always seemed to be writing - smoking a cigarette while scratching observations onto any scrap of paper he could find. He imbued a passion for change and a love of community into his only daughter. He died at the age of just 40 years old after an unexpected heart attack one night.
While he was alive, Gabrielle adored her father. He was the picture of what a father should be - guiding and caring, loving her unconditionally. She misses him a great deal to this day, wondering how he would feel about his little girl who grew up to break down barriers. His loss left a hole in her life that was difficult to fill, but she does as much as she can to make him proud.
----
Sheila Bryant (Mother)
Sheila (nee Walker) is a Charlotte native. She is a strong woman - bold and loving, friendly and straightforward. Sheās never afraid to tell it like it is. Having worked as a waitress for much of her life, Sheila instilled a sense of hard work in her daughter from a young age. Sheās a fixture in one of the neighborhoodās local cafes - a favorite among her patrons. Widowed at only 40, Sheila struggled with deep grief that she tried to drown in alcohol. The problem cost her several years of her life and could have done far worse had she not fought as hard as she did to sober up. It gave her a deeper appreciation for her life. Sheās only remarried in the last few years to Joseph āJoeā Bryant, another widower, and they live together in Sheilaās home in Charlotte.
Gabrielle and her mother are extraordinarily close. They speak often and Gabrielle relies on her motherās advice to get through tough times. It doesnāt mean their relationship hasnāt been strained. After her fatherās death, Gabrielle had to care for her mother as the woman sank into alcoholism and depression. Even though her mother has been clean and sober for years, Gabrielle frequently worries about her and also fears falling into the same trap - hence her own aversion to drinking. She loves her mother and would do anything for her in a heartbeat, but itās not without challenges.
----
Joseph āJoeā Bryant (Stepfather)
Joe is Gabrielleās stepfather, but she doesnāt know him overly well - despite the shared relation with her mother, they havenāt spent all that much time together. Heās rough around the edges and when they are together, they donāt always see eye to eye. But they do bond over their shared care for her mother, and try to āplay niceā as it were, to please her.
---
Bonus:
Spot | b. 2016
Spot is Gabrielleās pet dog, who she adopted after Theresaās passing a few months ago. While initially against the idea of having a pet, sheās come to be quite attached to the Australian Shepherd, and heās done a great deal to help her come to terms with her grief.














