When Micheal Joe McGuire went to work a few days ago, he was very happy. That very evening, he would be accompanying his son to his first basketball game.
McGuire woke up at 4:45am just like any other day, and he had plans of returning home early so that he would have plenty of time to freshen up and then attend the game with his little boy.
But things didn’t go exactly as planned, because he had to work until later that afternoon, so he just made it to the game on time.
In his coal miner’s uniform and covered in dust, the man escorted his little son to the Kentucky Wildcats’ annual “blue-white scrimmage” game.
And, while attending events in his uniform was nothing new for McGuire and his family, someone noticed them and posted about them on social media.
It was John Calipari, the University of Kentucky Head Basketball Coach, who saw the duo and it reminded him of when he was a child.
So, he took a picture of the father and son and posted about them on Facebook.
“My family’s American dream started in a Clarksburg, WV coal mine, so this picture hits home,” he wrote in the caption.
Then he explained that he found out that the man had been working until late but he was determined to be with his son in his first basketball game, so he raced to be there on time.
Coach Cal added that, although he had no idea what the name of the man was, he would offer him and his family VIP tickets at Rupp.
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When the post in question was made, McGuire was at work and it wasn’t until hours later that he found out about the fact that his face had already gone viral on social media.
“When I got out and got service on my way home, it went crazy…I couldn’t believe that it was real,” he told WKYT.
He explained that on the day of the game he had no other option but to rush to the game without passing by his home.
“It was either go straight there, or miss half the game to go home and take a shower and everything,” the father of two said.
His wife Mollie also posted on Facebook about the photo that made her husband and son go viral.
“My husband choose the job he has to support our family so that I could be home to raise our wonderful children, there are many times he misses out on these events due to work. So any chance he can be there he is, no matter how tired or dirty,” she explained.
She also thanked the coach for recognizing the hard work miners put in so that they can provide for their families.
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The family will be soon attending the UK game in VIP seats and they are grateful for the coach’s gesture.
It truly is a heartwarming story!
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