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Linda Fletcher: The Miami Mom Driving 18,000 Miles a Season for Her Son · Two Personal with Joy Taylor

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: She is Mark's mother and is a very special mom
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: because she is driving all over the country to see
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: all of her son's games.
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: You should see some of the stuff I see on
• 0:11
  Speaker 2: my road trips.
• 0:13
  Speaker 3: I'm sure.
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: You cannot see it from an airplane.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Whether it is your blood family or your chosen family,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: it's really about showing up for people.
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: Yeah. It's important that he goes out there and does
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: well because he knows that we're watching.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Hey guys, welcome to Too Personal. I'm Joy Taylor. Thanks
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: so much for joining us. Make sure you hit subscribe
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: and follow us on social at Too Personal Show.
• 0:38
  Speaker 3: Very special guest.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: So we don't do a whole lot of sports on
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: this show, but we obviously are Miami fans. My brother
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: coaches at Miami. He's coached there for several years now.
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: My nephew plays there. I have somebody's auntie shirt on today.
• 0:55
  Speaker 3: And Linda Fletcher is here with us. Welcome to Personal.
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: Why, thank you, Joy. Thank you.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: Her son is University of Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr.
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: He is a college football star. And that is part
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: of the story. But why Linda is here is because
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: she is Mark's mother and is a very special mom
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: because she is driving all over the country to to
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: see all of her son's games.
• 1:23
  Speaker 3: And you have been doing this for years now.
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: His whole college career.
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: His entire college career. So I was, you know, thinking
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: about what I wanted to talk to you about today.
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: And I like, you know, my, my brain is slipping
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: in my, as I'm aging, but I went to every
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: single one of Jason's.
• 1:42
  Speaker 3: College football games. Did you? And we drove.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: I was like, I was like, you know, cause I
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: fly a lot, but I was like, I just forgot
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: that we did that. Yes, when he was at Akron,
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: I went to every single one of his games except
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: for one. I don't know why I didn't go to
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: the one. I think I was like being a cranky
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: preteen and was like, I want to stay at my
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: friend's house.
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: But yeah, we drove in this.
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: Like kidnapper van. I know those.
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: With the, you remember the metal door? Like he had like, yeah.
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: And like, you just keep your hands.
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: And fingers out of the way.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: The door, the, the, um, side of the van had
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: rotted a hole through. So we taped a cardboard, like
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: a little piece of cardboard over it.
• 2:26
  Speaker 3: Cause you know, the kids were in the back.
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: Yes, for sure.
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: We had a lay down seat. Remember those metal ones? Um,
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: but it was from another van. Oh, that we have
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: put in that van. And it always stayed flat. So
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: that was our life. So you're traveling a little bit
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: of a different style, which is good. But yeah, we
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: went to every single one of Jason's college games. So
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: we have a lot in common as far as that
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: experience goes.
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: And we lived in Pittsburgh and he was in Akron.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: So we also had to travel to the Akron games,
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: which was a two hour drive, which was nothing compared
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: to driving to like Kansas and But Kansas, Mississippi, like everywhere.
• 3:06
  Speaker 3: They were, we went.
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, that's how I am.
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: And what has your experience been traveling around the country?
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: Exceptional. Because we are outdoorsy type people. I'm an adventurous lady.
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: And so I do not fly. And that just boils
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: down to we're driving. And so, yeah, I have an
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: older son, a daughter, and my two little granddaughters. And
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: we get in and we go. And it is so
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: much fun. Well, it's even more fun now because of
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: the RV. This trip here was the best ever.
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: So if you haven't seen, go and check out Fetching Fletchers.
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: It is a new series where Linda is documenting her
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: journeys to follow Mark and the Canes around the country.
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: Thanks to our friend Michael Irvinn. and Funtown RV.
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: I loved the video. I already knew this was happening, obviously.
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: some connections in Miami. So I see the video the
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: day it happens. And, um, but watching the process of
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: you getting the RV, it did make me a little emotional.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: Now we're new friends, although we have been in many
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: spaces together, um, and probably have actually met before. Um,
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: I am not the, the most emotional of, uh, I've
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: never been accused of that.
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: Um, although I'm very sensitive.
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: Yes.
• 4:31
  Speaker 3: It did bring a little tear to my left eye.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: It's a touching story.
• 4:37
  Speaker 3: It really is. And it's a beautiful thing.
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: So you have this new RV, which is all decked
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: out to travel around to all the Canes games.
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: But the whole reveal of it is beautiful.
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: Your husband is on the door, Mark's father, who tragically
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: passed away. You have all these beautiful details on it.
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: Like what was your emotion when they gave you the RV?
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: Overwhelmed. I was like, oh my gosh, because I was
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: saying I'm getting an RV. That's the only thing that
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: could really make this journey, this trip, just the best
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: trips ever. And so when I got it and I
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: saw it, I just still, I sit in there now
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: and I'm like, oh, I got an RV. It's unbelievable,
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: but we're really enjoying it. And so I'm just thankful
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: to Michael and, And the mayor of Funtown RV for
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: believing in me. You know, it's a big thing for
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: them to gift someone or lend me the RV for
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: the season. So it's just a phenomenal thing. I'm real excited.
• 5:40
  Speaker 3: And what is what is RV living like?
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: Because I have a couple of these like factions in
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: my algorithm other than complete and utter patriarchal chaos. I
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: love saving recipes that I'm never going to cook. And
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: then I love watching like tiny house videos and RV living.
• 6:00
  Speaker 3: And I, in my mind, convince myself that I'm one
• 6:03
  Speaker 3: day going to do this. Very low chance I will.
• 6:05
  Speaker 3: But I do.
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: I have so many of these saves, like the people
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: that convert the buses into the thing.
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: I'm like, I could totally live like this. But what
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: is what is RV living like?
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: You really could. It's lots of fun. But you do
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: have to be kind of outdoorsy. See, we like grilling.
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: We like sitting outside, watching TV. We have that set
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: up on the outside of it.
• 6:27
  Speaker 3: Plus, we have a TV you can watch on the outside.
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: We put into actual television a 50-inch that we clip
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: on the outside when we're settled down in the RV
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: parks so we get to watch the games and just
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: have fun, and it's good for tailgating. So just think
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: about a whole tailgate set up. We do it daily.
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: So we sit out there.
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: That's fun. And then with the family.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: It's beautiful. When we grill, we have a good time.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: And you've got to be in a good RV park.
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: I mean, that just makes it more enjoyable.
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: So what is a good RV park consist of?
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: Well, a good RV park is that they have hot
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: water for showers. They have bathhouses. And they have game rooms.
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: And they have swimming pools. And they have, you know,
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: just the enjoyment of everyday life.
• 7:15
  Speaker 3: So amenities, yeah.
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: Amenities, for sure.
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: So do you, how does it work?
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: Do you?
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: Pay for the like access to the park and then
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: you get all those things I was.
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: Very surprised at how inexpensive it is to actually live
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: in an RV park so we pay probably the most
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: is probably $ 70 a night and then you have access
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: to all those amenities for sure and then there's security
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: so you feel safe and it's just really really wonderful I.
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: Mean, you're going to talk some people into this.
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: I'm telling you.
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: Because listen, I am on there like, listen, it's my
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: doom scroll. I'm like, oh, this looks so fun. And
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: then they went and they just parked. And you said
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: you went to the Grand Canyon.
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: Oh, I went to, oh man, we've been traveling around.
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: We've stayed at different RV parks. And then through the travels,
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: of course, we've been enjoying outdoor zoos. The Grand Canyon
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: was the most soul shifting experience ever. It was so beautiful.
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: So wonderful. And then the things we do is good
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: for all ages because I have my older son who's
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: 38 and then down to my little granddaughter who's three
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: years old. So we just go through there and it's
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: just togetherness and the fun and it's real cool. And
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: then Big Mark, I don't know if you saw the RV. Yeah.
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: He's painted on the door. So he's right there with us.
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: And it's just a good thing. The only thing we're
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: missing is. It's Lil Mark. And that's because, you know,
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: he's working, of course, right now.
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: Right.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: Yeah. But we call and FaceTime him all the time.
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: Look at this. Look what's going on. And so, yeah,
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: it's really wonderful.
• 8:44
  Speaker 3: I love that.
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: And I love that you're documenting the experience as well.
• 8:48
  Speaker 3: It's really terrible. I haven't been to the Grand Canyon.
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: I've lived on the West Coast for 10 years.
• 8:54
  Speaker 3: I need to get out there. I mean, it looks...
• 8:57
  Speaker 3: So I'm a big traveler.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 8:58
  Speaker 3: We are a bit opposite.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: In that I do not like to drive. I recently
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: drove for three hours.
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: This weekend, and the whole time I was like, I
• 9:08
  Speaker 3: should have just had someone else drive. I'm a great passenger.
• 9:11
  Speaker 3: Passenger princess, okay? But not.
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: I'm a good driver, but I just don't... I don't
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: enjoy the experience of being responsible for the drive. Yeah.
• 9:19
  Speaker 3: But I love to travel. I've probably.
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: I was trying to do the math this morning, knowing
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: that we were going to talk.
• 9:26
  Speaker 3: I might have already been on 50 flights this year. Really? Yeah.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: Maybe, maybe 50 this year. And it's, I think that's low, actually. Wow.
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: But yeah, and my family, as you know, is in
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: Miami and in Pittsburgh. So I am always in Miami.
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: I'm there once a month. My mother and my brothers
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: are there. And I live in LA, so I am
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: obviously not driving.
• 9:52
  Speaker 3: So yeah, I'm flying I'm flying all the time.
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: So we're, we're kind of like, we're both travelers, but
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: in like clearly opposite ways.
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: It did it to me. Yeah. I like went and
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: I was like, actually, I'm like, no, I cannot do this.
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: And so I really got emotional. And I just said,
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: you know what? I'm not going to put me through
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: that anymore. I love driving. I've been driving since I
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: was a very, very young girl. And it's, You should
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: see some of the stuff I see on my road trips.
• 10:22
  Speaker 3: I'm sure.
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: You cannot see it from an airplane. And it's just so,
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: and the people that I meet, it's just incredible. I
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: want to encourage more people to drive. It's really, it's
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: a good thing. You're getting your thoughts and it's quiet. But,
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: you know, you're probably on the move a lot, Joy.
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: And so your brain is going, you don't want to
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: sit that still.
• 10:46
  Speaker 3: I have a very hard time saying so.
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: Yes. So no, they're probably the flight is the right
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: thing for you.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: But I do think, you know, there is, there is a, uh,
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: you know, a bigger philosophical thing to all of it.
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: And you're traveling the country, a place.
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: That can feel really divided and very scary and human
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: beings these days. I mean, we talk about it a
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: lot on this show. Just, we have a very hard
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: time connecting with each other. I just got off a
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: call talking about how to encourage young people to just
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: go up to other people and talk to them because
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: the phones and technology have just removed the ability to
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: speak to humans without this like raging anxiety. So this
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: experience and you documenting it, I hope also shows people
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: that there is still the ability to have.
• 11:40
  Speaker 3: Things in common with people that you don't know. It is.
• 11:43
  Speaker 3: Has that been your experience?
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: It has been. I was at the Grand Canyon and
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: this guy just walks up and goes, may I hug you?
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: And I go, now I'm a hugger.
• 11:54
  Speaker 3: That is my nightmare, Linda.
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: No, I think he really, and you know what? I
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: hugged him because I'm a hugger. They talk about me
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: at the school, the University of Miami. I give out
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: like a thousand hugs of practice. I hug everybody. And
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: so when this guy came up and I said, I
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: told my daughter, she was with me. I said, did
• 12:12
  Speaker 2: you see that? She says, Mom, I think he probably
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: needed it. Yeah, of course he did.
• 12:16
  Speaker 3: And I'm a hugger, too.
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: And I said, oh, I needed it, too. So, yeah,
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: I connect very well with people. I think it's more
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: of a spiritual thing. Yeah. I don't know. It just happens.
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: People just come out of nowhere and talk to me
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: and tell me their stories. And, you know, and I'm
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: just all here for it. I'm a lover. And so, yeah,
• 12:35
  Speaker 2: I don't have any type of social anxieties. I'm just
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: giving hugs and loving people. And I'm getting some of
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: that back and it feels good.
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: And I think the energy that you put out, you attract,
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: you know.
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: Yes, I think so.
• 12:47
  Speaker 3: Yeah. I try to be a porcupine and then that
• 12:52
  Speaker 3: works for me. But once you get me nice and calm,
• 12:54
  Speaker 3: you know, then you can like pet in the direction
• 12:57
  Speaker 3: away from the needles and then it goes well.
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: I understand that.
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: How's it been for Mark having you guys at all
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: the games?
• 13:08
  Speaker 2: We wouldn't have it any other way. See, cause Mark's
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: whole career has been football, his whole life, little life.
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: And so from little league, we never missed a game.
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: We're always there. I mean, dad was the type of dad.
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: If practice starts at nine, he's going to be there
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: at seven. And so then it's just our family way.
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: It's what we've been doing. And now Mark is on
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: this level of playing for the U. Why would I
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: stop now? No, it's a beautiful thing. And we love
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: family and the togetherness of it all. I think Mark
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: would not appreciate if I wasn't there. He knows that
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: mom is going to be there. And, you know, it's
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: funny because I'm a yeller.
• 13:53
  Speaker 3: Go, Mark!
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: I'm screaming. And everybody's saying, Linda, when he hits college,
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: you can stop all the yelling because he's not going
• 14:00
  Speaker 2: to hear you. So I say, all right, I get
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: there before everybody else. And so I'm like, cute! When
• 14:07
  Speaker 2: they start doing the pre-warm-up, And he's like, oh, there's mom.
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: And so now he knows where to find me in
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: the stand. So he can still hear me.
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: Yeah. And don't listen to them. Anyway. Yeah, don't.
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: My mother obviously did not go to every professional game
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: that Jason played in.
• 14:27
  Speaker 3: That would have been an undertaking for 15 years.
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: But Two's had a lot of games and obviously was
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: at all of his college games. And Jason still to
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: this day always finds Monica in the stands and when
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: he sees the family and he does, he would tap
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: his head. So that like, if you ever see him
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: do this, then that's like him saying hi to my
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: mom or saying hi to Monica. And so they, you know,
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: they know he, but he looks for you and then
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: he sees you in the stands and then like, you know,
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: and they, they psychologically know that you're there. And I
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: think especially for young people, like, well, you know, once
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: you become a grown man and stuff like, you know, you, it's,
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: it's all business and, and you know, everybody can't be
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: at everything and things happen and all that stuff. But
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: I think as a young person, you know it means
• 15:12
  Speaker 1: something to have support there.
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: Oh, for sure.
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: And that, you know, there's a sense of safety knowing
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: that people are supporting you and are going out of
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: their way to support you also. Because while obviously it's,
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: you know, a delight obviously for you to do this,
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: it's still requiring that you be on the road and
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: travel around the country to go see him.
• 15:30
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a big deal. But it's something that it's
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: been our way, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: And my little son is a great player. a great person.
• 15:41
  Speaker 3: He's a big son.
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: He's little to her, but he's my baby.
• 15:47
  Speaker 2: But yeah, he's a six.
• 15:49
  Speaker 3: I call all my little nephew. That's my little nephew.
• 15:51
  Speaker 3: Mason six, seven.
• 15:53
  Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. He's six to 230 pounds.
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 15:56
  Speaker 3: He's a big son.
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: He's a big baby. So, you know, but he'll say,
• 16:00
  Speaker 2: I realize it's important. He'll go, don't let them lose.
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: Oh God, mom, I'm so sad. You drove all this
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: way and we didn't, But he does his very best.
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: And it's important that he goes out there and does
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: well because he knows that we're watching. And I said, no,
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: I'm going to be here whether we lose or not.
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: Mom is here to support you. So it's just what
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: we do. And I wouldn't have it any other way, Joy.
• 16:26
  Speaker 3: Yeah. And family is.
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: Family is a conversation and a topic that gets skewed
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: around and moved around in a lot of different places.
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: And I think at the base of it, really, whether
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: it is your blood family or your chosen family, it's
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: really about showing up for people.
• 16:43
  Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. You've got to be there for each other.
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: It makes the world a better place to know that
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: somebody has your back no matter what. And so this
• 16:54
  Speaker 2: is the way we do. And so I stepped it
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: up a few notches when we lost dad. because dad
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: and Mark were extremely, I'd be telling people he was
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: an inside dad. That means he was always there. He
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: cooks the oatmeal. He makes the special meals for Mark
• 17:13
  Speaker 2: and his buddies. He's at practice two hours before and
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: two hours after. And, you know, with me, I'm like,
• 17:20
  Speaker 2: it's hot. I'll see you guys later. You know, I'm
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: out of here, but not dad. And so with him
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: being gone, I've had to step it up. And so,
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: because that was a big part of my son's life.
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: And I'm just very proud of him that he didn't
• 17:36
  Speaker 2: give up. He kept going. And so, it's a tender,
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: tender thing for our family. And so, yeah, I just,
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: I got to be there. No other way. And so,
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: I would drive 18,000 miles again and again to be
• 17:53
  Speaker 2: there for Mark, for sure.
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: How.
• 17:57
  Speaker 3: Has it been for him?
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: Cause you know, obviously it was an incredibly tragic way
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: to lose his father and he has to, doesn't have
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: to obviously, but did go out and play and you've
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: got the support, you know, of your teammates and your
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: coaches and your family. But that is, grief is a
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: very strange thing and it's a hard thing to compartmentalize
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: and it manifests in different ways and it hits you
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: at different times and then you're good and then you're
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: a mess.
• 18:26
  Speaker 3: And, to be a.
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: Young person with the spotlight on you the way that
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: he does is a lot to carry and manage.
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: It is, and it was, and it still is. It
• 18:39
  Speaker 2: hurts us. Like, I'll cry right now, you know, but
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: my son, he's so strong, and it helped me understand
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: him a lot better. He's a super strong guy. He's
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: a leader. And so it made me so much, so
• 18:55
  Speaker 2: proud because... He could have just gave up. And I
• 18:58
  Speaker 2: found out after the fact that he was even contemplating
• 19:02
  Speaker 2: just not playing football anymore. And I was like, oh, God, really?
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: But it was a hard thing. And so just imagine
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: how he just was still able to be on time
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: for practice, give it his very best. And so with
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: all of that, that helped me with my grief. to
• 19:22
  Speaker 2: just suck it up, Linda. Look at Mark. He's going
• 19:25
  Speaker 2: out there doing his job every day and doing it well.
• 19:29
  Speaker 2: And so it helped me to just suck it up.
• 19:31
  Speaker 2: And I'm here for him, and we just came together
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: on it. And so, yeah, and to this day, he's
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: just still doing it. Yeah.
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: How was it at Miami, the team support, the coaches,
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: like this, the family of the Canes when everything happened?
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: Phenomenal. First of all, the whole team showed up to
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: dad's funeral. Five buses. The president of the school, Joy,
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: Joe Echeverry, down to the trainers, the cooks, the everybody.
• 20:08
  Speaker 2: And I was we were holding up, you know, and
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: we wanted to be emotionally stable for that day. But
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: when we look back and we saw the entire University
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: of Miami football team, Mario, Jessica, everyone, you know, it
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: got a little weak. We were like, oh, but I mean,
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: that's very fair, you know, and that just showed us
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: a lot. And so that's how come my son says, Mom.
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: I will be here for the University of Miami until
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: the day that I die. So if they would just
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: keep letting him play, he'd keep playing. He'd come back
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: year after year after year. But, you know, with this
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: being Mark's final year, all we can say is that
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: we're Canes for life and we have developed some friendships
• 20:56
  Speaker 2: and some relationships that can never be broken. And I'm
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: just happy to be a part of the U family.
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: It's phenomenal the way that they have stepped up for Mark. And,
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: you know, I was calling him and I was being
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: there and I want to comfort him and console him.
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: So I thought, and he'd be like, yeah, mom, I'm
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: out with my teammates. Yeah, mom, I'm out with coach. Yeah, mom,
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: we're all here together. We're bowling, we're cooking, we're, you know,
• 21:24
  Speaker 2: they were having experiences and Those guys, those people stick together.
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 21:29
  Speaker 2: Yeah, they stick together.
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: I will say the Canes and the Canes alumni and
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: that group, I started my career in Miami. I went
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: to Berry University in Miami, but obviously we don't have
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: a football team there. So the Canes are the football
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: team of Miami. And I, you know, covered the team.
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: And obviously now Jason plays there. Jason coaches there and
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: Isaiah plays there. And my little nephew, my ginormous four-year-old nephew.
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: He's enormous five now. Jordan, yes. And our new one, Myla.
• 22:04
  Speaker 3: It's all just like a very family space.
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: And it doesn't surprise me that they all showed up.
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: And it is a place where if you have a legacy,
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: you are going to be taken care of for the
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: rest of your career.
• 22:17
  Speaker 3: And I think.
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: you know, when I talk about sports and specifically college sports,
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: obviously it's gotten very itchy, scratchy for a lot of
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: people with NIL, which is a whole other conversation. And
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: I don't care what they have to say about that.
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: Like these, these student athletes should be making money, but
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: the transactional nature of all of it, I do think
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: is something that some of these young people don't think
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: about is if you stay at one place, you're going
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: to build a legacy there. You're going to build relationships
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: there that you then use in your future when you
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: are done playing or when you graduate. That group of
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: people is going to look after you because of what
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: you've invested in them.
• 22:53
  Speaker 3: And Miami is a place that definitely does that.
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: Yeah. And it shows. Look at Michael Irvin with our family,
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: you know?
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: And I just happen. You would think that I would
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: see him all the time and talk to him all
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: the time. But I didn't. It was three years. And
• 23:10
  Speaker 2: he would be like, pium, pium, pium. I'm like, jeez.
• 23:13
  Speaker 3: Michael, over here.
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: Pium, pium, pium. You can never catch up with the guy.
• 23:18
  Speaker 3: No, you can't.
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: So fortunately for me, we were playing pit. And one
• 23:22
  Speaker 2: of the.
• 23:23
  Speaker 3: I was at that game. Were you there?
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: Yeah. And the guy popped from pop subs. He like
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: usually feeds the team or whatever. But he said, they
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: were like, Linda, pop is looking for you. Pop's looking
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: for you. And I'm like, what does he want? Well, what?
• 23:36
  Speaker 2: We're about to watch a game. He had a front
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: row ticket for me. And so he gave me the
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: ticket and I was like, yeah, guys, I'll holler at
• 23:43
  Speaker 2: you later.
• 23:44
  Speaker 3: I'm going down low.
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: And so that, you know, you just never know where
• 23:50
  Speaker 2: life is going to take you. And so I went
• 23:52
  Speaker 2: down low and that particular day, there goes Michael Irvin.
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: And I'm like, Hey, Michael. He was right there. Turns
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: around and the rest is history. You know, I got
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: to talk to him about the Mama Canes groups, the
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: mamas coming together. And he was like, oh, yeah, I'm
• 24:10
  Speaker 2: going to get what you give me a phone number.
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: Let's talk about that. But then he just he showed
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: up for my family. He's been showing up for the
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: Mama Canes, too. Those are my family, you know, and
• 24:21
  Speaker 2: I am just having a wonderful time with the mamas,
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: with the team. You know, I fed some of the
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: football players. Marco, I'll cook up a little couple little meals.
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: And then I always extend myself to let some of
• 24:34
  Speaker 2: the guys know whose moms are out of town in
• 24:37
  Speaker 2: a way. That's very important that you have a mama
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: in town. It's Miss Linda. You can come over. I
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: can give you a meal. You need help with something.
• 24:47
  Speaker 2: And it's been times that they've taken me up on
• 24:49
  Speaker 2: those offers. And so it's all family. It's all love.
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: And I am so happy I'm a part of it.
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: Well, I'm glad you are, too. And yeah, I can't
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: say enough about Michael. Michael is obviously, you know, everyone
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: knows Michael from his. Cowboy days, but Michael is a cane.
• 25:09
  Speaker 3: And yeah, I was at that game.
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: And my mother actually is a, don't ask me why,
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: but she's a Cowboys fan.
• 25:15
  Speaker 3: And she's a nut Cowboys fan.
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: Like she is, she's actually a unique Cowboys fan. She
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: holds them accountable, which is weird for Cowboys fans. But
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: she is a huge Michael fan.
• 25:26
  Speaker 3: She's a huge Emmett fan. And so same thing. I
• 25:29
  Speaker 3: was like, Michael. And he runs over.
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: And like, yeah, I when I saw that on the episode,
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: I was like, I think we were not even that
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: far away from you.
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: Wow.
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: We were talking because my family is we're from Pittsburgh.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: So we had a huge group there.
• 25:43
  Speaker 3: And yeah, I mean, family and football. It's like it's
• 25:46
  Speaker 3: a it's a real thing.
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: And I'm so glad that you're getting to have this
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: experience the way that you should. in luxury around telling
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: you around the country.
• 25:57
  Speaker 2: It is.
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: It is. I thought I was going to meet her.
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: I'm going to have to come and see you though.
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: Cause I'm coming to Sanford.
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: You must.
• 26:02
  Speaker 3: So I, are you going to tailgate?
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: I'm tailgating.
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: Okay.
• 26:05
  Speaker 3: We're coming early in. I'm going to, I'm going to
• 26:07
  Speaker 3: come find you.
• 26:08
  Speaker 2: And how about I'm going in the stadium a day early.
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: So I get to sleep. What Thursday night in the stadium,
• 26:16
  Speaker 2: Betty and I. You heard. Okay. Thursday night, I'll be
• 26:23
  Speaker 2: in the stadium.
• 26:24
  Speaker 3: And then Friday's the game.
• 26:25
  Speaker 2: And there you have it.
• 26:26
  Speaker 3: Okay. Well, I will get your information so I can
• 26:28
  Speaker 3: pull up and... Are you cooking?
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: Of course.
• 26:31
  Speaker 3: Okay. I will bring some beverages.
• 26:36
  Speaker 2: Betty came equipped with a box stone. Okay, okay, okay.
• 26:40
  Speaker 3: We got it.
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much for taking time out of
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: your road trip to come and hang with me.
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: Make sure that you check out.
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: fetching fletchers and you can see this on youtube yes
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: and you should follow linda at l-y-n-f-l-t-c-h-r so lynn fletcher
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: and follow at fetching fletchers and of course.
• 27:06
  Speaker 3: Okay it's all about the you.
• 27:07
  Speaker 2: All about it's all about the you thank you so
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: much yes