Players show support for 8-year-old boy after baseball coach’s death

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — After a tragedy, heartbroken high school players turned into supportive fans to support the son of their coach who died just last week.

Gaston County reporter Ken Lemon learned the 41-year-old coach was playing with his son just minutes before he died.

The two were very close, and few people would think twice about a father tossing a ball with his son. But it’s the kind of thing that sticks out when that coach unexpectedly dies moments later.

We learned about that from a local official who was standing with coach Casey McMillen the day he died. Now, he’s supporting his 8-year-old son days later.

“I still see Casey’s smiling face,” said Chad Brown, a family friend and Gaston County commissioner.

If you ask, Chad Brown will tell you he was a former pro baseball player before he became chair of the Gaston County board of commissioners. His son is a pitcher for Stuart Cramer High School; that’s how he got to know Assistant Baseball Coach Casey McMillen.

“He had fun. He was a smile waiting to happen,” Brown said.

Brown was at the game at Burns High School last week.

He saw McMillen with his 8-year-old stepson, Junior.

“They had so much fun together before all of this happened. They were there throwing the ball around,” Brown said.

Earlier that day, Stuart Cramer High School hosted a baby shower for McMillen’s wife.

“He was appreciative for the people around him and who knew the people around him were going to see him take his last breath,” Brown said.

It broke so many hearts, including the players’ and McMillen’s son’s.

On Tuesday, when Junior had his first youth baseball game without his father, Stuart Cramer players were there for support.

“We go out and the community can just love on a kid,” Brown said.

He said in the middle of the game, the players gave Junior cards and gifts, and smiles.

“Baseball kinda took the back seat to this because life is real,” Brown said.

Brown said he hopes the loss last week, and the love this week encourages people to hug the people around them and thank them for being in their lives.

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