WATCH: Recently deceased Paul Finebaum listener pens letter to show

ESPN college football analyst and SEC Network host Paul Finebaum has a number of loyal listeners on The Paul Finebaum Show. Each day, he fields phone calls from people all over SEC country and listens to their rants and answers their questions.

During Thursday afternoon’s show, a previously recorded conversation was played – with Finebaum receiving a heartfelt call from “Mike, from Texas.” The caller was calling on behalf of his late mother-in-law, who was a loyal listener of the show and had written a letter to Finebaum before she passed away. The caller read the letter to Finebaum during the conversation.

This was very cool. @finebaum had received a follow-up call from “Mike, in Texas” about his mother-in-law who recently passed away.

She had written a letter to Paul on December 31st, 2021, and Mike read her message on the show today. Here’s that call. 🎥@SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/qqjJUdxZZN

— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) February 25, 2022

“I’m calling to write you and tell you how much you mean to me and my family,” the letter starts. “You’re a very special man. Your wife is a very lucky woman because you mean so much to America, to your college, to everything that is good in America. You personally, Paul, put me through so many good times when I was going through horrible pain. You mean the world to me. I’m looking down right now with a big smile looking at you.”

Donation to SEC school’s journalism department announced in letter

While the woman had already shared to Finebaum just how much he meant to her, she proceeded to inform him of a decision she made before she passed away, which benefits the University of Tennessee – Finebaum’s alma mater.

“I have a small surprise for you, Paul,” the letter reads. “It’s not much, it’s not going to help anything big, but I want to donate $2,500 to the Tennessee journalism department in memory of you, Paul. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to get through everything I did.

“I’ve prayed every night for you, I’ve prayed for your family and I’ve prayed that God would give me the strength and allow me to listen to you and just give me some comfort in trying to pass on good things to your listeners and let you know how much you mean.”

Finebaum has received tons of calls over the years, but there’s no question that the call from “Mike, from Texas” will be one Finebaum remembers for years to come.