COLUMBIA, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - For one weekend every year, the Palmetto State’s greatest tradition is division. We split houses, break loyalties and raise the temperature with the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry until it feels like a boiling point.
Clemson’s 28-14 win in Columbia last Saturday settled the score but the story that mattered most didn’t surface until hours later.
A moment that rose far above the rivalry belonged to 23-year-old Tron Foster from Spartanburg.
Foster, a lifelong Clemson fan who had been fighting cancer since childhood, had never experienced a Tigers gameday. By Saturday evening, he finally had, and both programs helped make it a day his family will never forget.
The effort started on the garnet side. Russ Lloyd, a major supporter of Gamecock athletics, heard about Foster and immediately extended a tailgate invitation to the family.
With help from Clyde Wrenn and the Gamecock Club, the gesture quickly expanded into sideline passes for the entire family.
Then came the next step -- a chance to meet Dabo Swinney, something almost impossible to pull off on gameday; especially at the rival’s stadium.
South Carolina’s staff made sure it happened.
Foster, bound to his wheelchair and using an oxygen machine, was parked directly in front of the Clemson buses as the team arrived. Swinney walked over, hugged him, and reached into his pocket.
Swinney always carries a cross with him. This time, he placed it in Foster’s hand.
The coach didn’t hide how much that exchange meant to him.
“I was so moved and stunned by that time I had,” Swinney said. “It was a blessing to me to have that moment. And it was such perspective to me as I’m walking into a ballgame.”
Before he left, Swinney offered one more message to Foster; They were going to win the game for him.
Foster planned to use his sideline passes, but he began having trouble breathing and his family made the decision to leave before kickoff. He did, however, watch the postgame press conference live from home.
That’s when Swinney mentioned him again.
“Just want to give a shoutout to Tron and tell him, ‘Go Tigers,’ and I hope he was able to have a smile on his face today,” Swinney said.
He did. When Foster heard his name, his smile stretched ear to ear.
“Now I’m famous,” he said.
That moment stuck with Swinney long after.
“It was something I actually thought about during the game, and it was on my mind after the game,” he said.
Foster, known by his friends as “Mega Tron,” was widely loved for his positivity and the way he put others first throughout his battle.
I’ve known Tron since he was in middle school. Strongest person that I’ve ever known. He beat cancer 3x and ultimately passes from a brain infection. He stayed positive thru the end. He always put others first, even tho his health had been terrible for 12 years. Mega Tron 4ever
— Tadpole (@bradtadpole) December 2, 2025
The same evening of the Palmetto Bowl and his exchange with Swinney, Foster passed away from a brain infection.
Swinney learned the news later that night.
“It took the wind out of me,” he said. “But it also really blessed me that I was able to have a moment with this young person. See him smile, see his family smile.”
His final day was shaped by rival programs -- bitter competitors, who set all that aside to make sure he had one incredible, unforgettable day.
“I know God ordained that moment of joy for him before He brought him home,” Swinney said.
On a weekend where garnet and orange divide this state more than anything else, the effort to honor Tron Foster proved one fundamental truth; the score is always secondary.
The real victory came off the field.
And if you ask anyone who knew him, they’ll tell you -- Tron Foster is still smiling.
A balloon release was held in honor of Foster on Thursday.
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