Savannah Bananas' coach never got to show mom his game, so a stranger did it for him

Achieving your dreams is one of the most fulfilling feelings in the world, but having your parents witness you in action is an even more satisfying experience. However, sudden and unfortunate events can squander plans at the most unexpected times. Something similar happened with The Savannah Bananas coach, Tyler Gillum — who goes by @coachgillum66 on Instagram. He lost his mother before she could attend one of his games, but an unexpected meeting with a stranger filled that void momentarily before a big game.

Back in 2018, Gillum was all set to become the head coach for the Banana Ball baseball team when an unfortunate event struck his life — his mother passed away unexpectedly on February 11, the same year. Her untimely death occurred before Gillum could debut in the series, and he languishes in that missed opportunity, writing, “She would have loved Bananaland!” As if his prayers were heard, out of the blue, before a big game, a complete stranger showed up and gave him the gift of a lifetime.

A lady from the crowd, Debra Prock, came to meet him before the match started and told him she had known his mom since childhood. Prock told Gillum how they were best friends and she loved his mom and their family “so much,” proceeding to show him their pictures from high school, which he found extremely “special.” She gave him a hug and asked him to keep the picture, wishing him good luck for the game. A tearful Gillum exclaimed, “It was the wildest thing. I was not expecting that!” He even reconfirmed that they both went to "ADA," the school his mom was at.

The death of a parent is one of the hardest things one has to go through in life — this period is driven by immense grief, anguish, and emotional suffocation. Even though there is not much one can do to help a bereaved person, extending social support is sometimes enough to keep someone going. A study by Inger Benkel and others shares that social support has the power to uplift a person going through the loss of a loved one. 'Social support' refers to a wide range of activities that help a grieving person process their circumstances while combating day-to-day needs for survival. Such support can manifest in kind words, doing chores, cooking meals, sharing information, or any other crucial activity that the bereaved may not have the energy for. This explains how the sudden appearance of Prock must have made Gillum feel — she unknowingly filled a gaping void and made him feel his mother’s presence after all these years of her passing.

Debra Prock — who goes by the username @debraprock — commented on the video, “It was so nice meeting you yesterday. I knew I had to find those pics of your mom and bring them with me when I got tickets for the game. I'm so glad that we got the opportunity to meet, and I was able to speak to you and give them to you. Your mom and her family have always held a special place in my heart, and I'm so glad we got to meet.” The wholesome video has prompted other people to shed tears on the Internet as well. @sarxcasey expressed, “What a beautiful Godwink. I’m sure your mama is so proud of the man you’ve become. Sending love from one adult kid missing their mama to another,” and @mini_scully843 exclaimed, “How special! That’s so sweet! That was her sending you a message!”

You can follow Tyler Gillum (@coachgillum66) on Instagram for wholesome content.