For Derrick Harmon, the NFL Draft was supposed to be the happiest moment of his life – a culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice. But just hours after being picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers, his world was turned upside down by an unimaginable family tragedy. What should have been a time of celebration and joy became a moment of deep sorrow and reflection. Derrick’s story is one of perseverance, love, and the harsh reality of life’s unpredictability. How does one find the strength to move forward when the greatest triumph is overshadowed by the deepest loss? His journey is a powerful reminder of the fragility of happiness and the resilience of the human spirit.

The mother of Derrick Harmon reportedly died shortly after hearing that he had been drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The defensive tackle was the No 21 overall pick in Thursday night’s first round but Harmon admitted it was ‘a little bittersweet’ because his mom could not be there to celebrate with him.

‘She’s at the hospital right now on life support,’ he said. On Friday, however, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Tiffany Saine had died – not long after Harmon visited her and told her about his move to Pittsburgh.

She had previously suffered a stroke while he was at Michigan State and had undergone ‘seven or eight’ brain surgeries.

According to NFL Network, Harmon was forced to cancel some pre-draft visits in order to stay with his mother during her final weeks.

Speaking after securing his place in the NFL, the 21-year-old fought back tears as he said: ‘It’s truly a blessing. It’s really a blessing. But it was a little bittersweet. My mom wasn’t with me – she’s at the hospital right now on life support.

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Derrick Harmon’s mom reportedly died shortly after he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers

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He posted a picture of himself alongside his mother from when he was a kid on Instagram

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The defensive tackle was the No 21 overall pick in Thursday night’s first round of the draft

‘After I get off the phone with you guys, I’m headed straight to the hospital to tell her that her son got drafted… she worked just as hard as me to get to this moment.’

Harmon left Michigan State to join Oregon for the 2024 season and he revealed that he used money earned through NIL to buy his mom an accessible van following her stroke.

Speaking to ESPN ahead of the Draft, Harmon said: ‘My mom means everything to me. Her name is Tiffany Saine and that’s my rock, that’s my why.

‘My freshman year at Michigan State, she ended up having a stroke which left her paralyzed on her left side. It was kind of hard but with her health it is something we were used to – growing up, she had about eight brain surgeries.

‘I am originally from Detroit so I was about 45 minutes from home when I went to Michigan State. She is the reason why I am here. She is the one that did everything for me up to this point… I love you, mom. Everything I do is for you. I am forever grateful.’

Harmon had never left Michigan before leaving to ‘chase a dream’ in Oregon and that decision left his mom in tears. ‘As soon as I told her, she cried. But she understood,’ he previously recalled.

After being drafted, Harmon posted a picture to Instagram of himself with his mom from when he was a child.

‘This is for you,’ he wrote. ‘I’m do what you told me I can do a long time ago. I love you till the wheels fall off.’

He added on Thursday: ‘After all those brain surgeries, she did not give up… and always in the back of my head from the beginning of my college career was: why can’t I keep going? If I’m tired, injured, whatever it is, why can’t I keep going?’