Michael Taaffe honors Camp Mystic flood victims with tie at SEC Media Days

“Football is cool, but this is real life.”

For Texas Longhorns redshirt senior safety Michael Taaffe, being significant is more important than being successful.

So even though head coach Steve Sarkisian rightfully called Taaffe’s ascension from walk on to second-team All-American “probably the coolest story on our team right now,” the Austin Westlake product arrived in Atlanta at SEC Media Days with the flood victims of Camp Mystic on his mind and on his tie.

Quite literally — the tie monogramed by Anderson Parker in Austin featured the initials of the camp director, counselors, and campers who tragically passed away in the Fourth of July Flooding in Texas Hill Country.

“I just wanted to show light to what’s going on in Texas because football is cool, but this is real life, and this is way more important than football,” Taaffe said on Tuesday. “So I wanted everybody around the country to know what Texas is dealing with, and how I can give back and show my support to them, and anything that I can do for them, I’m going to do it.”

Last week, when local burger chain P. Terry’s announced that it was donating 100 percent of its July 10 profits from its 36 locations, Taaffe showed up to sign autographs and other memorabilia for fans.

“It’s all the daughters, the 8-year-old girls that passed away in the cabins and their two counselors who gave their lives being heroes trying to save those daughters and those girls, and then the camp director who went back into the floods to try to save those girls’ lives,” Taaffe said. “I wanted to remember those victims because they deserve a light like this. What they did, they should be heroes, they should be remembered.”

Taaffe’s personal connection to Camp Mystic only increased the impact of the tragedy.

“We’ve been praying continuously for those families, trying to help those families any way that I can,” Taaffe said. “Camp Mystic in Central Texas is pretty familiar with me, my family, my friends, my close friends. A bunch of people went to those camps. To me, it’s just about making an impact. My platform is such a unique platform because Texas is such a great fan base, and so I have the opportunity to impact others and shed light on things that are important. Being successful is important, yes. I love being successful, but being significant is more important.”