As Dawn Staley prepared for a major clash in South Carolina’s NCAA Tournament tilt, the coach was given a surprise from a familiar face as she was left emotional following the kind act.

This week, Dawn Staley received a surprising gift from a young fan she first connected with last summer. The child from UVA Children’s Hospital, named Blakely, presented her with a new necklace ahead of the 2024 NCAA Tournament after the one she previously gave the South Carolina coach began to wear out.

Staley is currently preparing to lead her team in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against North Carolina as she bids for March Madness glory. Staley’s team blew out Presbyterian with an emphatic 91-39 victory in the first round.

Now, the 53-year-old has opened up on the subtle way Blakely’s generosity from the UVA Children’s Hospital has helped to spur her on all season. Staley detailed how she had been religiously wearing the original specially-made necklace from Blakely, who she met back in June.

Appearing on SportsCenter on Saturday, Staley spoke of the bond that she struck up with the girl when attending the facility in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year. She said: “I got the chance to meet a young lady named Blakely who was going through cancer treatments.

“When a child cannot express how they are feeling because of their treatment, they utilize these mood ducks that will give the doctors a view of what the child is feeling if they can’t verbalize it.

“They took them through a scavenger hunt, and at the end, they were presented with their ducks. They were able to, at the very end, make necklaces for their ducks. So I sat with a young lady named Blakely — I’ll never forget her name — and I just used her color scheme that she was using for her necklace, for her duck.”

Dawn Staley recounted a heartwarming moment as she spoke about how it has inspired her.

Dawn Staley looked emotional after a heartwarmingly kind act from a young fan to wish her luck.
The coach continued: “It gives me perspective. I mean, what we do is coach this game or play this game, when so many other people are going through much deeper things than us, and they have a much better outlook on it. Blakely, you would have never known what she was going through.”

Staley continued as she vowed to never remove the necklace, such is its importance to her. She added: “But I know what she’s going through, what her family is going through, and I just feel forever indebted that they allowed me a small part of their life, which changed my life. I’m going to wear this until the beads fall off.”

However, before the end of her appearance on the show, the coach was left visibly emotional as Blakely appeared on screen as they reunited virtually. The child spoke in front of the camera as she explained that she had a surprise for her idol – which she hopes will bring her good fortune in the NCAA Tournament.

“Hey Coach Staley, I made you another necklace, I hope you like it. Good luck on your game,” the kid said as Staley duly was handed the new crafted necklace.