Lacey Holsworth, the 8-year-old girl who struck up an unlikely friendship with Michigan State basketball star Adreian Payne, died this week after a long bout with cancer.
Her story of meeting Payne when his team visited her hospital captivated basketball fans and non-fans alike during this year's March Madness tournament, but nowhere more than on the Michigan State campus.
The school held a vigil for Lacey on Wednesday night, and Spartans coach Tom Izzo showed up to deliver a moving speech to the students in attendance.
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Izzo's speech runs about eight minutes in the video above, and really gets going at about the two-minute mark. He talks about Lacey's impact on the team this season, on Payne's life and maturation, the world beyond Michigan State and what others can -- and should -- learn from her story.
It's an emotional testament to the power of sports as a force beyond the playing of games. The speech also makes clear how many lives Lacey touched, including one of college basketball's greatest coaches and motivators.