Double plane crash survivor Austin Hatch scores first point for Michigan
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Why did an entire arena and the Michigan bench cheer a late-game free throw in a 16-point win like it was a buzzer beater? Because the man shooting the ball was Austin Hatch.
Hatch is fulfilling his dream of playing for Michigan after a plane crash in 2011 -- his second -- killed his father and stepmother. Hatch was in the hospital for weeks, trying to come out of a coma and rehabilitate his life. It wasn’t just Michigan who was happy to see him score his first point; opponent Coppin State was as well.
“I’m glad they called that foul on us,” said Coppin State coach Michael Grant, the brother of former Michigan star Gary Grant. “He got to the free throw line. I was hoping he’d make all three.
Coach John Beilein was at Hatch’s side in the hospital, and now he got to witness his first point.
“He’s in the official scorebook now,” Beilein said with a smile. “The exhibition game was one thing, (this is another).
It was an unforgettable moment.
See More:
