Coach K takes time to comfort grieving parents

The only connection Tyler Hayden had with Duke University basketball was his love for the team, so when his parents received a call from one of the most notable coaches in sports history, they were shocked.

Hayden, a good friend of KIRO Radio host Dori Monson’s eldest daughter, was killed in a boat collision over Labor Day weekend. He pulled a lot of inspiration from Duke’s men’s basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski.

Though he could have just sent a quick note, or completely ignored it, Dori says Krzyzewski went above and beyond for Hayden’s parents when he heard of his death and his love for the team.

“It would be easy to ignore someone who doesn’t have anything to do with the program, other than being a fan,” Dori explained.

Krzyzewski called Hayden’s father at work and spoke with him for 10 minutes. Then he called Hayden’s mother and spoke with her for a half an hour. Krzyzewski, Dori was told, spoke beautifully and eloquently about loss. He told Hayden’s mother that although he called her to make the day a little better, she “lifted” him up.

For someone who probably receives constant requests from families of former players, Krzyzewski showed just the kind of person he is. He spent about 40 minutes on the phone with two people who don’t have a connection to the program.

“What a great man,” Dori said. “What a great man Coach K is.”