As college athletics enter an uncertain period in which pay for players, players unionization and the demise of the NCAA are hot topics of conversation, the University of Miami reminded everyone of the goodness of said athletics that is lost in the shuffle.
According to myfoxtampabay.com, the University of Miami offered the services of its mascot, Sebastian the Ibis, to walk a Florida woman down the aisle at her wedding.
Before anyone thinks of this as just a crazy stunt by an avid fan, the story requires further explanation.
Jennifer Urs Sullivan was a Miami student and now school employee whose father died two years ago of a heart attack. She said her father taught her all about the game of football, getting into the X's and O's.
According to myfoxtampabay.com, Sullivan is as passionate a fan of Miami Hurricanes football as there is.
"He raised me to be the biggest football fan," she told myfoxtampabay.com.
When she became engaged to Patrick Sullivan, she dreaded having to decide who would walk her down the aisle.
"I thought about my father-in-law," she told FOX 13. "I thought about my mom. I even thought about friends. But all of those sort of felt like replacements for my dad, and I didn't want to replace my dad. I wanted it to be more of a personification of who he was."
So the school and the wedding party came up with the idea of having Jennifer walk down the aisle, and then Sebastian, with a jersey with the nickname of Jennifer's father on the back, comes running from a hallway, grabs the brides arm and escorts her to Patrick with a standing ovation.
"Seeing her walk down and then having Sebastian come out, run out, and grab her - with everyone applauding - it just put a smile on everybody's face," he said. "It really took away some of the sadness that would have been there and turned it into a celebration."
According to Yahoo! Sports, Urs Sullivan wrote on her Facebook page that the walk "ended up being one of the most amazing/memorable moments of the day."
Do you think the Miami mascot coming to the aid of a bride is touching or cheesy? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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