LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — As Kentucky says goodbye to Coach John Calipari, he leaves behind a long legacy off the basketball court. He has rallied support for all kinds of causes through telethons and also privately to help Kentuckians who were going through a tough time. One woman says she'll never forget the kindness Coach Cal showed her as she dealt with tragedy, and she wants people to show him that same kindness as he finishes his time in Lexington.
In the days after 8-year-old Eli Hill died in an accident while playing basketball in Corbin, his parents got an unexpected phone call.
"Our eyes just got so big. We have zero connection to him. He had no reason to even know who we were," said Ashley Hill.
Calipari was on the line, giving his condolences and asking what he could do for this family of Kentucky fans grappling with tragedy.
"It didn't just stop there. He continued to text my husband and check on us for several months a couple times a month, just to say, 'Hey, I'm leaving mass and I had Eli on my mind today, just wanted to check in,'" Hill said.
Hill said those gestures made a big difference to them.
"This was truly a man who felt touched by seeing something like this happen, and made a conscious decision just to be kind. That tells you his humble nature. I know he's charismatic, but to be that humble enough to call somebody who can't do anything for you, and you're offering to help them, that says a lot about his character," Hill said.
Hill believes some of the social media criticism of Calipari crosses a line. She made a post on Facebook encouraging people to be kind as the coach makes his departure.
"I had just seen so many bad things in those last few minutes scrolling through Facebook and I thought, 'You know, I've never even told anybody that he called us and he continued to reach out to us and he formed a connection with us,' and so I thought it might humanize him a little more if I put that information out there because that is something that is personal to me and it actually happened and it makes me wonder what other people did he reach out to and what other people did he help?" Hill said. "There's just no reason to tear somebody apart who has a good heart and is trying to leave gracefully."
