South Carolina fans rally around Gamecocks player in his time of loss

Ben Portnoy
·2 min read

The South Carolina community is rallying around Gamecocks defensive back Marcellas Dial.

Dial’s father, Marcellas Dial Sr., died on Tuesday. He was 42.

Dial, who joined the Gamecocks in 2021 after a year and a half at Georgia Military College, shared a post honoring his late father Wednesday on Twitter that included four family photos from recent years.

“R.I.P Dad. I Love you, ima make you proud,” Dial wrote in his Tweet.

The family has started a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses. As of Friday evening, the page had raised over $3,800 and has a stated goal of $9,000.

South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley retweeted a link to the GoFundMe page Friday morning. USC fans have also shared the page on social media.

Dial Sr. is survived by his mother, Deborah Smith, and his six children Marcellas Dial, Toeliyah Mays, Sherita Dial, Mathias Dial, Amanda Dial, and Mykel Dial, according to the GoFundMe page.

Smith shared this message on the page:

“I am the mother of Marcellas Rashard Dial Sr., who recently unexpectedly passed away. My son was a great and humble man and he left behind 6 wonderful kids of whom you may know (Toeliyah Mays, Marcellas Dial, Sherita Dial, Mathias Dial, Amanda Dial, and Mykel Dial). He was known for his kindness and caring and would open his home and heart to those ineed. Rashard suffered from severe liver and kidney failure. Which made it impossible to get insurance because of Pre-existing conditions. He meant so much to his kids and family.”

Anything wishing to contribute to the Dial family’s GoFundMe effort can click here.