For Rusne Augustinaite, home is more than 5,000 miles away.
The 22-year-old junior guard at Clemson University grew up in Lithuania, far from where she’s become one of the best three-point shooters in the Atlantic Coast Conference. And while she has now spent years playing in the U.S., one person has never seen her play a college game in person: her mom.
Travel costs and work obligations kept her mother, Rasa, at home. That was until Augustinaite’s teammates stepped in to help.
After learning how much she missed her family, the Tigers quietly pooled their own money for an unforgettable surprise.
Video of the sweet moment shows Rasa knocking on the door. Augustinaite answers, looking confused for a moment before realizing her mom was standing in front of her. The two come together for an emotional embrace as teammates cheer on in support.
“I don’t know how it didn’t … slip or someone didn’t text it in the wrong group chat or something,” Augustinaite told CBS News. “But they did a great job, and it’s all because of my teammates, and I’m just so happy to have them.”
The reunion was made even sweeter after what happened during Augustinaite’s next game.
With her mom watching from the stands, she delivered one of the best performances of the year, scoring a season-high 21 points as Clemson defeated Southern Methodist University. After the final buzzer, she got the best victory celebration of all — a post-game hug from mom.
