Viral photo shows coal miner who rushed to watch Kentucky basketball game with son after work

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) — A photo showing a coal miner who rushed to watch a Kentucky basketball game with his son after work has gone viral.

The photo, posted on University of Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari’s social media, shows a man in his uniform sitting next to his son at a game over the weekend. Calipari said his family’s “American dream” started in a Clarksburg, West Virginia, coal mine — so this photo hit home for him.

Calipari said he was told the coal miner raced to the game after his shift to be with his son and watch Kentucky play.

“Don’t know who this is, but I have tickets for him & his family at Rupp to be treated as VIPs!!” Calipari wrote on Twitter and Facebook.

Mollie McGuire, who appears to be the coal miner’s wife, commented on Calipari’s Facebook post and said her husband’s day began at 4:45 a.m., and then after work, he drove straight to the arena to enjoy the game with their son.

“We are truly blessed with such an amazing man, and beyond thankful! We love our coal miner❤️” McGuire said.

Calipari responded to his own tweet and said he has found the family and is looking forward to hosting them at Rupp Arena soon.

“Thank you everyone for your incredible response to this. No one rallies like the #BBN! We are looking forward to hosting @mcguire_mollie9, her husband Michael and their family at a game soon!! This has also made me think a lot today about my grandfather, who worked underground in the mine. He always said something that stuck with me: “We go down there together and we come back up together.” They worked for each other. The ultimate teammates!!” he wrote on Twitter.