Fox News: Mother of Steelers' first-round pick dies shortly after he visits her in hospital to reveal selection: report

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Mother of Steelers' first-round pick dies shortly after he visits her in hospital to reveal selection: report

Derrick Harmon went to tell his mother who was on life support he had been drafted by the Steelers. Shortly after, Tiffany Saine reportedly died.

                   
                       

After Derrick Harmon was the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, the newest Pittsburgh Steeler had to break the news to his mother.

Harmon was unable to watch the draft with his mother because she was on life support in a hospital.

Harmon said getting drafted was "bittersweet" because he couldn't spend it with his mom. 

Right after being selected, Harmon traveled to a hospital to visit his mother, Tiffany Saine, and tell her You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

According to the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, Saine died shortly after.

Harmon, a defensive tackle, was taken by the Steelers.

Harmon said his mother had a stroke when he was a freshman at Michigan State, which left her paralyzed on her left side. She had "about eight brain surgeries," Harmon said.

"She's the reason I'm here. She's the reason I did everything up to this point," You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Harmon also said he used You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to buy his mother an accessible van.

"Man, how resilient she was, man. Just growing up from my standpoint, my situation, I grew up with her having probably seven, eight brain surgeries," Harmon said You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login. "And after all those brain surgeries, man, she did not give up. 

"She still took me to practice, still went to work. Always the back in my head from the beginning of my college career was, 'Why can't I keep going? If I'm tired, I'm injured, whatever it is, why can't I keep going, if she can get up and she can keep going after brain surgeries.'

"So just her resilience and her hard work, really. She was my inspiration."

The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Harmon spent three seasons at You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login before transferring to Oregon, where he blossomed into a disruptive force. Harmon was a second-team All-American last season while finishing with five sacks and 10½ tackles for loss for the Ducks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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