COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. β A Colonial Heights father's fight against cancer hasn't stopped him from rallying community support for his son's high school football team through high-octane social media videos every game day.
Paul Loy, a 45-year-old Henrico County police officer, has become a local sensation with his "Game Day Loy Boys" videos that he posts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok before each Colonial Heights High School football game. The videos feature Loy's enthusiastic catchphrase β "It's game day, boys!" β and have sparked renewed interest in the city's only high school football team.
"I just said, you know, I think we need to do something to kinda get some enthusiasm and some energy going with not only the team but maybe the fans," Loy said.
What started as a simple idea last football season quickly gained traction in the community. The short videos, lasting less than two minutes each, feature Loy pumping up the team and encouraging fans to fill the stands.
"We call it Game Day Loy Boys. And I post it on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, the day of the game," Loy said.
By mid-season, the videos had developed a following. Community members began asking when the next video would be posted, eagerly anticipating Loy's weekly rallying cry for the Colonials.
"By mid-season, we were being asked, hey, you looking to put a video out. We're waiting on the video to go out," Loy said.
The videos have resonated with fans and community members who appreciate the lighthearted support for the team.
"I think it's great. I mean, everybody seems to look forward to watching the video, and the Colonials could use a little extra support every now and then," said Monica Thompson, a fan of the videos.
Loy's wife Laura believes the videos serve multiple purposes for the community and the team.
"Cause it's silly and it's supporting the kids, it's fun," Laura Loy said.
Paul's community spirit comes naturally through his day job in community policing with Henrico County Police and his graduation from a Virginia high school known for team spirit. Now that his son Brice serves as quarterback for the Colonials, Paul wants the team to experience that same level of support.
However, this season brought unexpected challenges for the Loy family. After Paul's first colonoscopy on July 16, doctors diagnosed him with Stage 3C colon cancer.
"It came back as Stage 3C, which is not Stage 4, which is a huge blessing," Paul said.
By August, Paul began chemotherapy treatment while maintaining his positive outlook and counting his blessings.
"It's a huge blessing, it has not spread any further than where it's located currently," he said.
The cancer diagnosis hasn't deterred Paul from continuing his Game Day videos or supporting his son's team.
"It's not going to stop me from doing what I want to do to support my son," Paul said.
Laura has started a blog called "Butt Seriously" to keep family and friends updated on Paul's cancer fight. She believes the videos remain important for Paul personally as well as for the community.
"I think it's important for the community. I think it's important for the kids. I think it's important for him too, it's just who he is, he loves to give and that is usually just his, he'll give by singing, he'll give by just his little performances and how funny he is, so that's why it's important," Laura said.
Paul expects to transition from chemotherapy to radiation therapy by early November in an effort to shrink the tumor.
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