The circle of life—never has it been more evident of late in the Carolina Lettermen's community.

            Our condolences to the family of Greg Bunce, who died Saturday Oct. 14 following complications related to heart damage, chemotherapy and radiation. Greg was a two-year Letterman as a manager in 1975-76 and was a 1977 UNC graduate. He lived in Chapel Hill and was a frequent attendee at Lettermen breakfasts the second Thursday of each month. More details on services when available.

            Our best wishes to Mike Hobgood (1994-97), who suffered a major heart attack on Oct. 11th but is recovering.

            Hobgood is head coach at South Granville High and his team is now 8-0 after beating Roanoke Rapids 41-14 Friday night. The team wore the Tar Heels' “footprint” logo on the back of their helmets to honor their head coach Friday night.

            Hobgood was an offensive lineman for Northern High in Durham before playing for the Tar Heels, where he graduated in 1999. His first head coaching job came at South Granville in 2005. He left for Leesville Road in 2014 but came back to South Granville as a coordinator in 2015, and was named Vikings head coach for a second time in 2016.

            “We are so thankful for so many prayers and the support of so many,” wife Jenny Hobgood said in a Facebook message. “The more we learn as we talk to the doctors, it's an absolute miracle I still have a husband and my kids have their daddy! We are confident that prayer pulled him through and continues to hold us up.”

            And congratulations are in order to T.J. Yates (2007-10), whose wife Amy delivered Theodore James Yates on Wednesday Oct. 11th. Teddy Yates weighed 2 pounds, 7 ounces upon delivery at 30 weeks.

            “Teddy has battled his way through so many obstacles already and will have to continue to do for a long time,” Yates said in a Twitter message Sunday. “We are extremely blessed and getting through this wouldn't have been possible without prayer and the unbelievable support of so many friends and family.”