Link between Haugen, Tebow featured on ESPN (VIDEO)

Surrounded by a “comfortable, small group” of friends and family, Brian and Kathy Haugen’s eyes nervously fixated on the television screen before them on Saturday morning as ESPN’s College Gameday returned from a commercial break.

Just shortly before 10 a.m. the program aired the much-talked about segment linking the Haugen’s late son Taylor, an avid Gator fan to his very last day, to Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy-winner Tim Tebow.

VIDEO: To view the ESPN video click here »

In the span of six minutes, Brian and Kathy watched as ESPN correspondent Tom Rinaldi recalled the timeline of events that led to Tay-lor’s passing on Aug. 30, 2008. Starting with the hit Taylor took during Niceville’s Kickoff Classic at Fort Walton Beach, to the parent’s final moments with their son in the emergency room that morning, to the creation of the Taylor Haugen Foundation, and ultimately, how Tebow came to learn and draw inspiration from the young man whom he had never met.

“We all had a cry and a laugh together,” Brian Haugen said. “We shared the emotional roller coaster of before, during and after the seg-ment.”

One of those in attendance with the Haugen’s was Niceville backup quarterback, and a close friend of Taylor, Steve Strano.

“It was very emotional to see what transpired with the Haugens and Taylor’s last moments,” Strano said. “It was really inspiring to see the different point of views that Tom Rinaldi pulled out about the Haugens and how (Taylor’s) legacy is carried through a message to the nation and the world.”

According to Brian, Rinaldi and members of the ESPN production crew called he and his wife Thursday afternoon to inform them how the piece turned out, walking them through every detail of what would be said and shown during the Saturday morning broadcast. That phone call made seeing footage of the play that ultimately led to their son’s passing at least somewhat more manageable.

“It was kind of a difficult thing to watch,” Brian said. “But we feel like ESPN handled it well and really did a great job of respecting T’s legacy and really did a good job of truly encompassing the intent behind Taylor, his legacy and the foundation.”

Brian was most struck by the manner in which his wife composed herself throughout the interview process.

“I felt my wife did a fantastic job,” Brian said. “I thought she spoke well and was able to keep it together. I was most proud of my wife and how she was able to hang in there.”

Strano said he was particularly moved by Kathy’s recollection of when Taylor clutched her hand as she spoke to him in the emergency room.

“It adds even more to the lore,” Strano said, “even while he was dying, he was fighting for every moment.”