Da’Sean Butler has had an opportunity to meet and visit with thousands of fans over the past few months.
It’s likely that few will stand out in his mind like Brenda Mullins of Pax.
Mullins, the widow of Upper Big Branch miner Rex Mullins, shared a few moments with the former West Virginia University basketball star Friday at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
Butler appeared at the autograph session featuring exclusive items from the Dale Sparks Collection.
Mullins shared a story about her late husband with Butler, how Rex was a huge Mountaineer fan and dedicated his “man cave” at home to WVU memorabilia.
She also showed Butler the T-shirt her husband wore to work that fateful day — a gray Mountaineer basketball shirt, a gift from a family member who attended the NCAA East Regional.
“She told me about his room,” Butler said of Brenda Mullins. “I signed that shirt for her. They’re going to put it in the room. It’s supposed to be very special. I wouldn’t mind seeing it sometime. The fact that my name is in there and it’s always going to be in there, I’m lucky.”
The meeting seemed to touch Butler personally.
“It was very special because of what happened,” he said. “Coach (Bob Huggins) had talked to us about her and her family and the rest of the families.
“It is very important to get to meet the fans, especially the ones like them that are going through things right now. We were an important part of their life and then that happened. I hope they’re able to find some kind of happy moment. If I can give them a little smile, just to help them out in any way and give them any positive moment, I’m happy.”
“Rex was a very big Mountaineer fan,” Brenda Mullins said. “A huge fan. His room is blue and gold. He loved it. There was nothing like WVU sports. Nothing compared. Everything centered around WVU games.
“We watched all of the games. If he had to work, we recorded them and we watched them on the DVR.”
Her husband liked to watch the recorded games without first knowing the result.
But that didn’t always work out.
“He knew that WVU had beaten Kentucky (in the NCAA regional final) because everyone in the mines was singing ‘Country Roads,’” Mullins recalled. “He knew they won before he even got home to watch it.”
Butler was a favorite, she said.
“He liked them all, but he thought Da’Sean was the greatest,” Mullins said. “Just like Pat White and Owen Schmitt were favorites in football. But Da’Sean was his favorite. When Da’Sean got hurt against Duke (in a national semifinal game April 3, two days before the mine explosion), he was worried about him. He hoped Da’Sean would recover and everything would be OK.”
-----
Hundreds of others came out Friday to see Butler.
Greg Smith of Shady Spring brought his wife Kelly and their sons Eli, 7, and Daniel, 4, to meet the Mountaineer great.
“We wanted to see Da’Sean,” Smith said. “He played for the best WVU basketball team in 51 years. Eli practices basketball every day. He wants to be like Da’Sean.”
Eli certainly had his questions and comments for Butler ready to go.
“I want to ask him how his knee is,” he said. “He’s the best player in college basketball. I’m going to go to West Virginia University and play basketball and I’m going to wear No. 1, too.”
Event organizer Dale Sparks had high praise for Butler.
“Da’Sean is super with the fans. He has a great personality and is fun to be around. He’s as genuine as they come.”
The love the fans have for Butler was very apparent.
“He deserves it, too,” Sparks said. “He’s a great Mountaineer and he loves these fans. This is the only chance some fans get to see him in person. He’s eating this up.”
— E-mail: jworkman@register-herald.com
Montcoal Mine Disaster
Related Photos
-
Brenda Mullins, left, shares an embrace with former WVU basketball star Da’Sean Butler during Friday’s meet and greet at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center. Mullins shared her story with Butler of her husband, who died in the Upper Big Branch mine explosion last month. F. Brian Ferguson
WVU star reaches out to fans
- Montcoal Mine Disaster
-
-
Independent investigation says Upper Big Branch disaster was preventable
A series of explosions that ripped through the Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal just over a year ago, killing 29 miners and shocking the nation, were preventable, a report released Thursday stated.
-
Families not surprised Massey was irresponsible
For the father of one of the victims of the tragedy at Upper Big Branch, hearing investigators say the accident was preventable and largely due to ignoring important safety measures came as no surprise.
-
UBB report provides insight into future of mine safety
Following an independent investigation into the Upper Big Branch explosion, investigators offered more than 50 suggestions for improving the safety of coal miners underground, and lawmakers across the state and nation have taken notice.
-
MSHA investigation not complete, but mostly in line with independent panel's report
The public received a few answers to questions about the Upper Big Branch mine explosion Thursday from an independent team, but federal investigators are still completing their investigation.
-
11 panel findings and suggestions for safety improvements
As part of the independent investigation of the April 5, 2010, explosion at Upper Big Branch by the Governor’s Independent Investigation Panel, the authors of the report offered the following 11 findings that were accompanied by multiple suggestions for safety improvement.
-
UPDATED: Report also criticizes regulators in UBB mine blast
The independent investigation that blames the deadliest U.S. coal mine explosion in decades on owner Massey Energy Co. also points out problems with how federal and state regulators policed the West Virginia coal mine where 29 died last year.
-
UPDATED: Families seek justice for fatal UBB mine blast
Relatives of the 29 men killed in the deadliest U.S. coal accident since 1970 said Thursday the findings of an independent probe confirm what they long suspected, saying Massey Energy Co. cared more about coal than workers’ safety, threatened to fire those who complained and let dangerous conditions build in an ill-fated mine.
-
Remembering the 29
A year after the tragic loss of 29 West Virginia coal miners at a Raleigh County mine, public officials gathered Tuesday evening with victims’ families, rescue workers and others affected by the tragedy.
-
Families haunted by tragic blast
“It was a hard week,” was the phrase repeated by family members of the 29 miners who lost their lives on April 5, 2010, during the Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy.
-
Community gathers to remember, honor coal mine disaster victims
Many arrived in black T-shirts bearing the names of all 29.
For some, the attire of the day was accented by stripes of varying hues, resembling the safety patches worn by the underground coal miner. - More Montcoal Mine Disaster Headlines
-
Raw Video: Guilty Verdict in UVa Lacrosse Death
$5 Gas Coming to Pumps Near You?
Raw Video: French Police Release Strauss-Kahn
Ga. Spa Shooting Leaves 5 Dead, Victims Related
2 More Western Journalists Die in Syria
7 Killed As Afghan Quran Protests Turn Violent
Santorum Goes After Obama on Energy
Judge Says Lindsay Lohan in the "Home Stretch"
Father Accused of Using Leash on 11 Year Old
Obama Helps Break Ground on Black History Museum
Raw Video: Dozens Dead in Argentina Train Crash
Wounded Vets Regain Some Camaraderie in Kitchen
Man Accused of Repeatedly Running Over Lover
Raw Video: Obama Belts Out Blues
FDA: New Suppliers to Ease 2 Drug Shortages
Raw Video: New Orleans Revels in Mardi Gras
'Super PACs' Overtaking Campaigns' Fundraising
Mild Weather Could Affect Syrup Production
Raw Video: Iran Sailors Saved From Burning Ship
Firm Suing Apple in China Open to Talks
