Daily Archives: August 16, 2008

He was always a favorite of his coaches. He picked up the nickname “Eddie Beamer” because he was close to Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer. People from the church in his hometown of Chantilly, Va., looked out after him. Brian Kelley has been Royal’s mentor from the time he was Royal’s fourth-grade teacher.

“Hundreds of people touched our lives,” Pearl Royal said. “Our family has been blessed by that.”

The reason Royal picked up so many guiding forces in his life is his infectious personality. Continue reading →