There may be no crying in baseball, but it’s a different story in college football, especially with Samford offensive lineman George Grimwade-Musto in the picture.
Born George Grimwade, the college senior decided to change his name to honor his stepfather, who has raised him since second grade.
“It sounds weird calling him my stepdad because he’s always been my dad to me,” Grimwade-Musto said in a YouTube video posted by Samford.
Changing his name was a rather easy decision. What wasn’t so simple was keeping it a secret until he could reveal his now-hyphened name on his football jersey.
“He doesn’t have anyone to carry on his last name…” Grimwade-Musto said. “I feel like I owe it to him to carry on his last name when I hopefully have kids.
“I just want his legacy to live on forever. I don’t want it to end with him.”
Grimwade-Musto received the official letter approving his legal name change in late September. But, he waited until Samford’s Family Weekend to surprise his stepdad with the news.
He ran over to the sideline with a perfect heartfelt speech to accompany the gesture.
“You know how much I love you, right? How I always treasure the time I have with you? How you’re my world? I got my name changed. I’m now George Grimwade-Musto. Look at my jersey,” he said as he turned around so his stepdad could see it in writing.
The two hugged, cried and exchanged the words “I love you.”
As he read his letter in front of the Samford camera, I can’t imagine there were too many dry eyes behind the scenes.
“I love you so much and you really do mean the world to me,” Grimwade-Musto said. “Without you, I don’t know who I am or where I’m at.
“You and mom are the reason I’m together and I’m so happy I can take on that last name with mom and to really feel I’ve become one with our family.”
No doubt, that will be a memory that eclipses any football game, or graduation ceremony for that matter.
