excuse me in advance for a few things. This happened last Thursday but it has taken me several days to process the emotions to get to where i could post. Also, I'm going to compile a few posts here that are relevant to the story.

On Nov 15 I posted this, asking for help with connections to the basketball team or athletics department to see if i could get dad to a practice.
https://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=27441054

The next day, so many of you had reached out to me personally with invitations or offers of their tickets or connections it was downright overwhelming. Here's that post.
https://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=27442470

Well, it happened. I could have gone through any number of channels after the outpouring of support, but CB'er Big Daddy D and Wookie40 had the basketball office contact me. We arranged to take dad to the practice last Thursday.

To say it as magical or wonderful or perfect just isn't enough. My dad may not live to see Thanksgiving. This meant so much to him and to me. I cried a lot that day. Well, i cry most days, but I cried extra on that day.

We arrived at the box office and a wonderful woman helped us out. I'm horrible for forgetting her name, but she sat right there by the ticket counter. She led us through the annex to wait and for the team. During that time, dad got to see the annex for the first time.

It was then that he let me know that he had had a scholarship to play for BYU basketball in 1953 for $50. WHAT?!? How had he never told me this? He never played much and quit shortly after, so he didn't think it was important to tell me I guess. He had a blast looking at all of the pics of his era guys and even some that were short term teammates.


A young man on the practice squad then came and got us and let us down to the floor. Dad was overwhelmed. I hadn't seen him smile like this for months.



After a few moments of watching practice, Coach Pope led the team over to talk to dad. I have a video of that i'll post here a little later. It was terrific. They all shook his hand and thanked him for building the school and program to what it is today. Coach Pope told a few stories and asked if he'd seen the Oregon game. Of course! was dad's reply. "Well, what did you think? We beat them by 32!" Dad quietly whispered, "i think it should have been even more." The team busted out laughing.
After the team left, Coach Pope spent extra time with dad answering schedule questions and overall just being an amazing guy.
Dad grabbed him by his hand and said, "Mark, you're doing a GREAT job. KEEP IT UP!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JV5O8rn_c4



This pic isn't the most flattering but it sums up this day pretty well for both of us.

We stayed a few minutes longer before dad tapped out. It exhausted him mentally and physically, but it was the best thing that could have ever happened.
I've been to hundreds of BYU sporting events with my father over the years. I've crowded around little AM radios and car stereos listening. I've grown up a BYU fan because of this man. On top of that, he has been, from my perspective, the perfect dad in every way. And I mean that. I have a special bond with my dad so it will be very hard to let him go, but i know he'll he cheering and helping from above. He has earned ALL of his glory and he's ready for it.
While dad was Jr class president at BYU, he got the project going and helped get the funding to build the bell tower. So, my friends, I'd ask you - next time you hear that bell toll, think of my dad and say a little prayer of thanks for BYU and cougar sports and the people that built it. BYU does so much good and brings so many of us together.

And to those that reached out or extended themselves to make this possible, THANK YOU doesn't begin to tell you how I feel. Hopefully you can feel it.
Dad will rest easy. His last few days are filled with memories of this event.
God bless my dad and God bless BYU sports!