Tennessee Josh Heupel is helping dreams come true here on Mother’s Day weekend.
During the Friday edition of NBC’s The TODAY Show, NBC News correspondent Harry Smith helped tell the story of Robin and Piper Black, an inspiring mother-daughter nursing duo based out of the two-stoplight town of Erin, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville. Piper and her mother Robin are working hard to ensure the folks of Erin a quality and caring medical environment. The story in full is nothing short of heartwarming.
By the end of the segment, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel was presenting the Black family with complimentary tickets to the Vols’ home football game against arch-rival Kentucky in the fall of 2022.
(Heupel appears at the 4:57 mark.)
.@HarrySmith is helping us celebrate an inspiring mother-daughter nurse duo. 🩺 pic.twitter.com/K57isWhwth
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 6, 2022
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According to a terrific feature story from the University of Tennessee earlier this week, “Piper Black, BSN, is graduating with her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from UTHSC on May 9, with the goal of returning to Erin to work as a nurse practitioner in the same clinic as her mom.”
Erin, Tennessee, a town that had less than 1,400 people populated during the 2010 census, relies on the Black family tremendously throughout the year. This is why Piper has been so determined to complete her medical education at the highest level – so that she can return to work side-by-side with her family in the Volunteer State.
The story of the Black family on The TODAY Show, though, is a must-watch.
The TODAY Show appearance on Friday from Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel is another example of community comradery from the Tennessee athletics department in the last few weeks.
Going back to Easter Sunday, Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly posted a heartwarming video of her accepting money from an energetic young doner to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
So grateful for my friend Gabe and his pure heart, knowing that every little bit can help. Thanks for donating to my LLS campaign Gabe and for encouraging others to do the same (even your sister 😉)! See my pinned tweet for the link to donate. Let’s #beatbloodcancer pic.twitter.com/TBCmQ8rkRR
— Karen Weekly (@KarenWeekly) April 17, 2022
Then, just a few days later, Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel and baseball head coach Tony Vitello found some action to get involved with on campus. Both Heupel and Vitello took part in a fraternity fundraiser on campus to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Project. Heupel could be seen throwing times to drop students in a dunk tank, while Tony Vitello was giving out “Chest Bumps for Charity” just days after his four-game suspension.
Whether it is chest-bumping for charity or donating tickets to a hard-working Volunteer State family on The TODAY Show, Tennessee’s coaches are making sure to stay active and involved in the Knoxville and Tennessee communities.
This weekend, Tennessee Baseball coach Tony Vitello was suspended 4 games after chest bumping an umpire.
Today, he's on campus, giving away $2 "chest bumps" for the Wounded Warrior Project.
(📸: @fieldenbowman) pic.twitter.com/SIvOXS2Pij
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 20, 2022
— Gerard (@gerardt_) April 20, 2022
Thanks for coming out coach! The Southpaw still got it!
Vol Nation, here is the link to donate to the Wounded Warrior Foundation: https://t.co/tVtkgtG7OU pic.twitter.com/zI6tbc3P2E
— Gerard (@gerardt_) April 20, 2022
Tony Vitello is a man of the people. Here’s the link to donate: https://t.co/tVtkgtG7OU pic.twitter.com/ROzcXa7NLk
— Gerard (@gerardt_) April 20, 2022
