Butterflies filled Shelton Douthett’s stomach when he dressed in a full Miami Hurricanes uniform as a fan for the first time. He went back and forth about whether he wanted to wear it in public, but he felt the presence of his brother, Wayne, in the uniform. It became his reminder that Wayne would always be with him in spirit — and as his armor.
Shelton had never been to a bowl game, but at the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl, a tradition was born. He now wears the uniform to every Miami home game to honor his brother, who died in Oct. 2009 due to heart complications related to pneumonia.
“Doing something expressive normally made me nervous, but then I thought to myself, ‘How could I honor my brother in my own way?'” Shelton told ESPN.
Shelton, a Miami Gardens native, took advantage of the bowl game being in Orlando. As he walked through the lot in his full Miami uniform — including a helmet, cleats, pads and gloves — fans stared at him in confusion. Multiple fans approached Shelton and asked why he wore the complete combination.