SAN ANTONIO – In South Texas and more so in San Antonio, there are two professional teams that many Texans religiously follow: the Spurs and the Dallas Cowboys.
For one San Marcos man, however, black and gold colors ran deep within him choosing none other than one of the Cowboys' most feared rival the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Recommended Videos
His love for the Steelers was well known to his family and friends but on Wednesday, Alfonso “Dada” Garza devotion to the six-time Super Bowl Champs was displayed on social media reaching to many people more than 1,400 miles north of San Marcos.
“My dad/grandpa passed in dec. & this BAD ASS man had a casket specially made for him. He IS @steelers BIGGEST die hard fan I know,” Heaven Gonzales, Garza’s granddaughter, said in a tweet.
My dad/grandpa passed in dec. & this BAD ASS man had a casket specially made for him. He IS @steelers BIGGEST die hard fan I know. With him as their black, white and gold guardian angel, they will make it all the way this year, they have the BEST man watching over them! @AB84 pic.twitter.com/O8LXibCwJx
— Heaven (@heavengonzales) January 4, 2018
Since posting a tweet of her grandfather’s specially made casket Wednesday night, TV stations in Pittsburgh have written stories about Garza’s black and gold passion to share with the rest of Steelers nation.
Gonzales said even though her grandfather passed away right before the conclusion of this year’s regular season, his spirit lives on going into the postseason.
Fan Taking His Undying Love For The Steelers To The Afterlife https://t.co/zjuqqjwHSl
— KDKA (@KDKA) January 4, 2018
Devoted Steelers fan laid to rest in black and gold casket https://t.co/HQGuMYDVTD
— WPXI (@WPXI) January 4, 2018
“With him as their black, white and gold guardian angel, they will make it all the way this year, they have the BEST man watching over them!” Gonzales said in the tweet.
Gonzales told KSAT.com her grandfather was such a dedicated fan that he painted his garage walls black and gold and made a memorabilia of all his fan gear.
“I mean the man (Garza) had everything Steelers. It was hard to find something he didn’t already have,” Gonzalez told KSAT.com. “You walked in there and that logo was everywhere. He had it all, you name it.”
Gonzales said the best day of her grandfather’s life was visiting the Steelers’ Heinz Stadium this past summer for the very first time.
“I just had to post this (tweet). I’ve never met a bigger Steelers fan, ever. And I never will! This man was IT!”
Follow Adrian on Twitter | Like Adrian on Facebook
Gonzales said Trey Ganem, owner of Trey Ganem Designs in Edna, Texas, built her grandfather’s black, gold-trimmed casket bearing with a Steelers logo.
Ganem is the same man who made custom caskets for all the victims of the Sutherland Springs shooting.
Gonzales said her grandfather was buried wearing one of his jerseys and a Steelers cap.
EMAIL: agarcia@ksat.com