Last Saturday the Tennessee Volunteers beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 52-49. As the college football team claimed its long-awaited victory in a classic rivalry, fans rushed on the field to celebrate -- for which the team actually received a $100,000 fine.
However, amidst all the celebrations, a member of the Volunteers team, Hendon Hooker, made his way through the crowds to share his triumph with his mom. The moment was captured by Gentry Estes for SEC sports newsletter.
In his report, Estes shared how the quarterback's first reflex after his team's win was to head straight to his mom for a hug that lasted over a minute, with both holding on to each other tightly.
The way the 24-year-old prioritized his mom shouldn't really come as much as a surprise to those who know him. The devout Christian seems very much a family man and has been very vocal about his parents' influence in his faith.
"I remember us growing up in children's church. We had a lot of activities. My dad used to lead activities all the time in children's church. We used to have game nights where we would play basketball or have laser tag, but it was always a message within the game," reported CBN News.
And it is this same message that Hooker, along with his younger brother Alston who is a quarterback at North Carolina A&T, want to share through their game. The pair have created a new Scripture book for young athletes, titled The ABCs of Scripture for Athletes.
The book is in the style of a comic, and the brothers have included their favorite quotes from the Bible and flash cards to "encourage people to get in the Word. We came out with our scripture book to encourage kids, but it could also work for adults as well. Reading the book, you start to remember the scriptures and start to use them in your day-to-day life."
Hopefully Hooker will continue to be a positive influence not just for his fans, but for those who appreciate a man who is such a strong force for faith.
