At last, as he looked across the gym floor postgame, Roby saw a small boy running down the stairs with a woman. She started waving.
“I went up to her,” Roby said. “She came in and gave me a big hug, ‘This is so neat to finally meet you!' "
She introduced Roby to the 5-year-old boy, Malachi (above), as Roby’s cousin.
“He looks just like my brother, too,” Roby said. “It's kind of crazy – skinny, tall kid, a buzz cut.”
A couple of moments later, the woman, who turned out to be Roby’s aunt, continued.
“And this is your grandpa over here,” she said.
Roby stopped and looked as a man in a full suit used a cane to slowly walk down the arena steps. Tears welled in the old man’s eyes.
“He was crying, and I wasn't sure how to react,” Roby said. “Then these guys just started clapping around him. It was a crazy little moment. I’m thinking, ‘This is beautiful.’ ”
The two hugged, and a short, impromptu celebration began.
Roby’s aunt’s name is Toccara (above), and Roby’s grandfather is Clarence Levy (above and below). Toccara also had in tow another cousin, a fourth-month old boy, Cayden Isaiah (above).
“I could kind of tell, he had that old down south pastor way of talking,” Roby said, noting he learned his grandfather is, indeed, a deacon.
“He was like, ‘I’m real proud of you. This is amazing, being able to meet you for the first time. I want to keep in touch with you. If you come out here again, I definitely want to see you again.' "
That basically ended the short meeting. Roby had to shower and catch the bus, but he, his grandfather and aunt vowed to stay in touch.
