Longtime Alabama basketball enthusiast Karl Stingily had been eagerly anticipating this moment since his college days at UA in the late 1970s. Back then, he and his buddies would rush to be the first in line when the coliseum doors opened. This past spring, as the Crimson Tide made a historic run to the Final Four of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Stingily was there every step of the way, from Spokane to Los Angeles to Phoenix.

Personal Road to the Final Four

Karl Stingily, pictured at the Final Four Fan Fest in Phoenix, fell in love with Alabama basketball as a college student. Born in Meridian, Miss., but raised in Seattle, he came to Tuscaloosa in 1977 to attend UA and majored in accounting. He was a die-hard fan, never missing a home game. They would have dinner at Mary Burke Hall at 4:30 and be in line by 5 to grab the first-row seats behind the basket on the visitor side. His responsibility was to show the referee his eye chart when he disagreed with a call. After graduating in 1980, he followed the Tide as his career took him to different places. But he endured many NCAA Tournament heartbreaks along the way.After Alabama beat Clemson to advance to the Final Four, Stingily got a selfie with Tide center Nick Pringle. This moment was a dream come true for him.

Retirement and the Journey Continues

After retiring last year, Stingily and his wife Susie moved to Tuscaloosa, where his love for Alabama basketball began nearly 50 years ago. He immediately got on the list for season tickets. The fifth season under Nate Oats was a roller-coaster ride for Alabama fans. Stingily remained optimistic despite a blowout loss to Florida in the SEC Tournament.When the NCAA Tournament pairings were announced, they packed their bags for a three-week trip. Their journey started in Spokane, where they bonded with the families of the Tide players. Karl got to know Nels Nelson, and Susie bonded with Mark Sears' mom.After winning in Spokane and moving to Los Angeles, Karl sat in the nosebleed section for the thrilling upset of No. 1-seed North Carolina. For the Clemson game in the Elite Eight, he got primo seats. After the win, he got selfies with the players.

Health Crisis and the Final Four Dream

From Los Angeles, they went to Las Vegas. Karl noticed something was wrong during a business lunch and started feeling chest pressure, sweating, and getting light-headed. He rationalized it as overexertion but Susie, a former ICU nurse, knew otherwise.The next morning, Susie pleaded with Karl to go to the hospital, but he was reluctant as he didn't want to miss the Final Four. Eventually, he agreed to get tested. The tests confirmed that he had had a heart attack, and his troponin levels were alarmingly high.The cardiac surgeon presented Karl with best- and worst-case scenarios. Fortunately, the arteriogram revealed that he needed a single stent. Karl asked his doctor to do everything possible to let him go to the Final Four.

Making It to the Final Four

The next morning, Susie went to the airport to swap rental cars and get Karl's prescriptions filled. Karl changed into his Alabama gear and they set off for Phoenix. They faced some challenges getting to the stadium but finally made it.They arrived during halftime and were greeted by their old college buddies. Karl remained calm throughout the game, even though UConn ended Alabama's run. But he was just happy to be there after all these years.He knows he couldn't have made it without Susie's support. "She stuck with me because I knew she wasn't in favor of us traveling to Phoenix. She really watched over me," he said.