Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 12 No. 5 | May 2020

inside.hokiesports.com 11 still worked, and her blue-collar mentality allowed us to pivot quickly to meals at home and belt tightening. In our second year of marriage, we quickly and truly discovered how to become a team. And then messages of support and affirmation began rolling in from my Virginia Tech family. It heartened us that they came from every level of Hokie Nation, and they came without hesitation. We talk a lot about Ut Prosim , and we try to live it on a daily basis. Here, it was coming back to us. This is absolutely adversity, but it also represents tremendous opportunity. The uniqueness of my job, unlike many other jobs in sports, is that it rarely centers around the games. I view my true role as one to find the words that help us find the path forward. Sometimes that gets measured in wins and losses. More often, it gets weighed by compassion and example. This was the definition of that. When I got my car repossessed in 2008, I was ashamed. Twelve years later, I know it served as a lesson. In the past handful of weeks, I have learned countless lessons. Chief among them is that I feel a part of something special. I serve as an ambassador for a resilient group of people who swiftly rally around each other with much more than words. There was shame. There is fear. Maybe we share that. But we also share hope. That, I know for sure. It runs parallel to the path forward. I am eager to walk it with you. And when there comes a divergence and mine ultimately leads back to a microphone in a booth, I proudly will tell the tales of Hokie resilience, selflessness and triumph. That is a promise. In the meantime, know that we are still here. We are still Hokies. We will prevail. And that I am humbled to be your voice. THE OFFICIAL KIDS’ CLUB OF VIRGINIA TECH ATHLETICS 2 PLANS TO CHOOSE FROM ORANGE LEVEL: FREE MAROON LEVEL: $35 Visit hokiesports.com/hokiekidsclub to join! Virginia Tech football coach Justin Fuente and his staff are preparing for a path forward once college athletics resumes.