Tron Foster’s final wish: Tigers and Gamecocks unite to give him one last day

Tron Foster, a three-time cancer survivor, Boiling Springs High School graduate, and talented bass fisherman, had always been a lifelong Clemson fan. From the hospital beds of his childhood to the wheelchair that carried him as a young man, he bled Clemson Tigers orange with every heartbeat. Cancer seemed to have stolen nearly everything from him, including his strength and years of having a normal life. But it could never touch the part of him that roared when the stadium shook in Death Valley.

He had one dream left, just one. To see his beloved Tigers play, in person, one time.

And across that great divide between rivalry schools stood Russ Lloyd, a South Carolina Gamecock through and through. Russ had never met Tron, but a mutual friend mentioned the young man's wish in passing, and it started a movement. Russ invited the Foster family to his tailgate and worked with USC football director of high school relations Clyde Wrenn to secure sideline passes for the family.

In the parking lot, prior to kickoff, Tron, the young Clemson fan bundled in a blanket and wheelchair-bound, was parked alongside the Tigers' buses. Even though he was fragile, he smiled like sunlight breaking through clouds. Then, Dabo Swinney arrived. And without hesitation, the coach knelt, hugged the young man, and shared a few heartfelt words. Later in his postgame press conference, Swinney also gave Foster a special shoutout.

"I got to meet a young man named Tron before the game," Swinney said. "And man, hopefully he's smiling. I think he's maybe in hospice right now, and I got a chance to meet his mom and dad and sisters, and he was in a wheelchair when I came in here for the game, bundled up in a blanket. Man, it just blessed me to be able to see him." Swinney continued, "So I just want to give a shout-out to Tron and tell him, ‘Go Tigers' and hope he was able to have a smile on his face today."

Foster’s mother, Ashley Foster, confirmed that her son watched the press conference and grinned “ear to ear” when he heard Swinney mention his name. And he had captured the moment in a Facebook post with the caption: “All in baby!”

A few hours later, he slipped away. Surrounded by his family. With Dabo’s voice still echoing in his ears. The news hit both fan bases like a tidal wave.

Tron’s story quickly went viral across social media after it was shared on a Gamecock message board by Chris Clark, insider for GamecockCentral, with both Clemson and Gamecock fans praising the efforts to create a memory that transcended rivalry. Messages poured in: “Class on both sides of the rivalry… and RIP Tron,” and “College football gave this young man a great last day. God Bless and keep his family.”

And somewhere, in a place brighter than any stadium lights, a 23-year-old young man stood up on brand-new legs, looked around and saw a fleeting moment where garnet and orange became one.

Rest easy, sweet Tron. You won something bigger than any rivalry. You won every heart in the Palmetto State, both of them, forever. 🧡💜