Coal Miner’s Dedication to Kentucky Basketball Moves Coach John Calipari: ‘This Picture Hits Home’

The Wildcats head coach wrote on Twitter that his family’s “American dream” started in a coal mine and that he was giving VIP tickets to the coal miner and his family

A Kentucky coal miner’s dedication to watching college basketball is getting high marks from Hall of Fame coach John Calipari.

The University of Kentucky head coach, 63, was touched by Michael McGuire’s appearance at a scrimmage over the weekend in Pikeville, Ky., in which the man showed up in his work clothes, with his face still covered in soot.

“My family’s American dream started in a Clarksburg, WV coal mine, so this picture hits home,” the Wildcats head coach wrote on Twitter, alongside a picture of McGuire sitting in the stands with his son.

He continued, “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!!”

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 (@CoachCalArk) October 24, 2022

Mollie McGuire, Michael’s wife, proudly shared more details about the photo on her Facebook page on Monday.

“This is my amazing husband Micheal Joe Mcguire! He is an employee of Excel Mining (Alliance Coal) and works hard to provide for our family,” she wrote. “It doesn’t matter to him how long he has worked or how hard his day is, he is always there and shows up for our babies! He is the most selfless man ever and always puts his family first! Our babies absolutely adore him and Easton our son tells people he is a coal miner like his daddy. We are beyond blessed and thankful!”

She continued, “My husband chose 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 concluded her post by thanking “everyone who shared this and made it go viral, and simply taking time to recognize his hard work and dedication to being a father.”

The intra-squad scrimmage held at Appalachian Wireless Arena drew more than 7,000 people and raised $162,450 for victims of Eastern Kentucky flooding, according to WDRB-TV Louisville.