(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Kentucky Coal Miner Rushing From Work To Bring Son To Basketball Game Is What It's All About. [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags']
Date: 2022-11-12
Kentuckian Michael McGuire finished his shift as a coal miner for Excel Mining, and didn’t have time to change or shower off the soot or even wash his face from the coal dust.
He had something too important to do.
He had a promise to fulfill.
A promise he made to his three-year-old son Easton, to bring him and their family to the Kentucky Wildcats Blue-White intrasquad scrimmage exhibition game that was being played about three hours away from the school’s Lexington location, in Pikeville.
Because it was so rare and so close to their home, his son really wanted to go.
Michael told him he could make it work.
And so he did.
A photographer took notice.
Kentucky head coach John ( Cal ) Calipari saw the picture after the game, and it hit him hard in the feels.
And brought back his own childhood and upbringing.
His grandfather worked in the mines.
“I was sent the picture and never even looked at who sent it to me because when I saw the picture, I was like ... it hit me right between the eyes when I saw it.
He wanted to be there so bad that he was willing to leave without showering, without changing. Just get in his car and go because he got out of the mine late. What about that? He wanted to be there with his son.
I talked about hard, backbreaking work that’s honorable work, but he makes time for his son, even when he knew he couldn’t shower. It wouldn’t matter what he looked like, he just wanted to be with his son. Believe me, it hit home as soon as I saw it. Within five minutes, I called TJ in and I said, ‘Let’s go. This one here, I’m taking care of this guy and his family.'”
He continued, “The American dream started in a coal mine in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Backbreaking work. I went underground in West Kentucky and I believe I went underground in that mine he was in.
The mine, there were parts of it that were five, six feet high, seven feet high. And then there were parts of it that were like three feet high. They said it’s a duck walk. So I looked at the guy and said, ‘Do you go up to have lunch or go to the bathroom?’ That’s when the guy, I can’t remember his name but he looked like John Wayne. He said, ‘We go down together and we come up together.’
And when I got back I put it on my team’s wall and just said, ‘Guys, this is us. You know why they hold each other accountable? Do you have to have the manager down or do they hold each other accountable? It’s life or death. If you’re not pulling your weight, someone’s gonna say something. If you’re not ready to be there, one of the other miners will say something. That’s when a team is empowered.'”
And then he took to Twitter to find the family.
x My family’s American dream started in a Clarksburg, WV coal mine, so this picture hits home.
From what I’ve been told, after his shift, he raced to be with his son & watch our team. Don’t know who this is, but I have tickets for him & his family at Rupp to be treated as VIPs!! pic.twitter.com/a5BJXUnK2v — John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) October 24, 2022
With the help of the larger community, he located the families name and phone number and spoke to Michael’s wife, Mollie.
Said Cal...
“We talked for a while, Mollie’s comment to me is, ‘My husband is humble. He’s hard-working. This is hard work but he makes enough being there that I don’t have to work and he’s a great father. He’s done this many times.’ She said, ‘Do you know his beard is red?’ I said, ‘What do you mean? ‘That was coal dust, in his beard.'”
“I said, well, what did he say?”
“He hasn’t heard yet.”
“What?”
“He’s still underground.”
Recalled Michael, “They called me to the office. First of all, I thought I did something and I come out and they’re cheering me. What are you people doing?”
They were cheering for more than just his instant celebrity.
It was that he brought the realization to many folks what they were quietly about.
Hardworking fathers doing the very best they can. It also represented that nary every blue-collar worker in America provides for their family and are still able to recognize important moments in their children’s lives
And how they as parents wouldn’t miss those moments for anything in the world.
How he represents them, those who wake up every single day, go to work and then spend time with their family.
It’s not celebrated work, nothing flashy.
But they get the job done and still make time for those they love.
The family has been given VIP treatment since.
The extended family of 15 traveled on the team bus to Kentucky's home game against Duquesne.
Talking with the players and coaches.
They sat right behind the team during the game.
They were treated like royalty.
“We made a lot of new connections, new friends, and heard some amazing stories,” said Mollie, “It’s brought a lot of joy to our hearts. It’s reached a lot of people just by Michael being a dad who shows up and is there. That’s not something that always happens in present day. So, I’m glad he’s appreciated for what he does for his family.”
Hotels have been calling, offering rooms.
Restaurants are calling, offering dinners.
A car dealership offered them a large SUV.
Though, it’s so much more than that.
He’s one of them.
Family.
As Coach Cal said, “You guys know me. For two years, I couldn’t go anywhere because of COVID. Couldn’t be out, couldn’t … just awful for everything. I’ve done some things that have been fulfilling for my wife and I but this, you’d have to say, you’re bringing light to a good man. A hard-working Kentuckian, a coal miner who does everything he can to make time for his family, his son, and his daughter. Come on. That’s what it ends up being. That’s the story.
Isn't it neat for someone like that, who is a quiet, humble guy, to know people appreciate you, and we appreciate what you stand for?"
A man and his family.
A perfect example of the heart and soul of who we are, what we’re about.
Said Molly, “We’re just a small Eastern Kentucky family. Just to see how it’s impacted everyone has been very touching for us and for Michael to see what it means just because he’s a good dad.
The kindness of everyone else has been very touching for us.
“It just seems unreal.”
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/11/12/2135668/-Kentucky-Coal-Miner-Rushing-From-Work-To-Bring-Son-To-Basketball-Game-Is-100-Dedication-And-Class
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
