MASACHAPA, Nicaragua — A man who struggled with his son's death managed to take something they both loved and spread it to another part of the world.
"We’re the best fanbase in the world, there’s no doubt in my mind,” said Edson Mitchell.
Mitchell is one of the reasons why some children in Nicaragua are #SacramentoProud and rallying behind the Sacramento Kings in their playoff series.
Mitchell's late son Michael Todd Mitchell was a big Kings fan, even making some commercials for the team back in the 80s. That love for the Kings was something they both had in common. But tragedy would strike when Mitchell lost his son in November of 2004.
After burying himself in work, Mitchell traveled to Nicaragua in 2006, met the children and others in the area and started the Gracias Jesus nonprofit. They buy school uniforms, feed children and try their best to make a difference.
Among the repairs the nonprofit provided to the school was a basketball court.
"The basketball court was a disaster, totally a disaster. So what we did, we got all the men and the kids all together, and we tore up part of the basketball court," said Mitchell.
Showing that #SacramentoProud attitude, Mitchell had an idea for what to do with repaired court and backboards.
"You know what we need to do? We need to put Slamson on one side and Kings on the other side," he said.
The court renovation came complete with T-shirts provided by the Sacramento Kings along with a signed basketball.
"They even played basketball in their flip tops and their worn out shoes. And it just, it was amazing, amazing how they just participated in every little thing. They just loved it," said Mitchell.
From that point, the children were Kings fans, through and through. They're even staying up to date on the Kings playoffs series against the Warriors through Mitchell.
"Last night, they are - because I communicate with them - so upset and so sad. And it was crazy, but they are still diehard kings fan too," he said.
Even with the Kings falling in Game 5, the children are unflappable and confident that the Beam Team will prevail against the defending champ Warriors.
"Right now, they're so sad, but they have such faith and they go, 'No, they'll win. They'll win... so, it's OK,'" said Mitchell.
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