East Carolina Coach Surprises a Walk-on's Mother by Putting Her Son on Scholarship

Tia Chapman was at work at an elementary school when East Carolina football coach Scottie Montgomery showed up with a camera crew to wish her a happy mothers day. Her son, Kiante, had walked onto the football team at East Carolina, and as far as Chapman knew Montgomery was going around handing out Mother’s Day greetings to the moms on the team.

This one was a little different.

At the point Montgomery tells Chapman what a fantastic son she has, she’s already breaking down, and this video is already great.

"You have such a fantastic son. He has done everything that he’s supposed to do, and I wanted to personally come over and tell you how great he was."

Then we’re treated to the look on Tia’s face when she opens the envelope and finds out there’s scholarship paperwork in there, and hugs the crap out of Montgomery.

"“I was just talking about this last night,” she said. “We needed it in this moment. It means a lot. Thank you so much.”"

Kiante Anderson is a senior linebacker who transferred from a Division II school in 2015 to walk on at ECU, in his hometown of Greenville, N.C. He didn’t know he was being put on scholarship until his mom called to break the news. He thanked Montgomery, but Montgomery wouldn’t have it.

"“You don’t need to thank me,” he said. “You earned it.”"