A Kentucky coal miner featured in a viral Gameday video reflected on the role of fatherhood as he shared details about his family’s VIP treatment.
Michael McGuire, his wife and son were all invited for a VIP treatment at Rupp Arena after University of Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari spotted McGuire covered head to toe in coal sitting in the stands next to his son. The father had taken his kid to the annual Blue and White scrimmage in Pikeville a few weeks ago after getting off work.
At the time, Calipari noted that the image made him think of his own family roots and made a public VIP offer as he asked for help to find the man, as The Daily Wire previously reported. Last week, the coach came through for the family.
Michael McGuire and his family getting the VIP treatment tonight at Rupp Arena. McGuire is the coal miner who Coach Calipari spotted in the crowd at the Blue and White scrimmage in Pikeville a few weeks ago. @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/Xst1UiK4OU
— Travis Breese (@tbreeseontv) November 12, 2022
After the game, a reporter asked McGuire about being a “super dad” following the viral image and the coal miner said it was about being there for your kid.
“Just doing what I always do,” McGuire responded. “Pretty much part of it. I’ve shown up at countless Pee Wee baseball games like that.”
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
McGuire’s wife, Mollie, called the whole experience so touching after witnessing everyone’s kindness.
“That’s when it’s like, you know, we’re just a small Eastern Kentucky family,” Mollie shared. “Just to see how it’s touched everyone has been very touching for us and for Michael to see what it means just because he’s a good dad. And we reassure him that he’s appreciated all the time, but just all the kindness of everyone else has been very touching for us.”
In October, the Wildcats head coach of men’s basketball took to Twitter to share a photo of the young boy and a man covered in coal, which he said struck a chord with him harkening back to his family roots.
“My family’s American dream started in a Clarksburg, WV coal mine, so this picture hits home,” Calipari tweeted to his 1.5 million followers. 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!!”
I’ve thought a lot today about my grandfather, who worked underground in the mine. I’ve also had the privilege to go underground with miners in KY and a comment stuck out to me: “We go down together and we come up together.”
They work for each other. The ultimate teammates!!
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) October 24, 2022
“I’ve thought a lot today about my grandfather, who worked underground in the mine,” Calipari added in a follow-up tweet. “I’ve also had the privilege to go underground with miners in KY and a comment stuck out to me: ‘We go down together and we come up together.'”
“They work for each other,” he added. “The ultimate teammates!!”