Some moments arrive after the lights go out, when the stadium empties and the noise fades. This one came with a phone call, just past midnight. As the NFL world moved on from another game night, ESPN reporter Jenna Laine shared a deeply personal loss that quickly resonated far beyond football, drawing an outpouring of prayers, messages, and quiet support.

Laine revealed that her grandmother, lovingly known as Nana, passed away shortly after the game ended. The call came from her aunt, who had served as Nana’s live-in caregiver for much of the past year. Nana had taken her last breath. Laine shared the moment publicly alongside photos of them offering gratitude.

“I’m so grateful to all of you for taking such an interest in her, and praying for her,” Jenna Laine wrote.

She explained that Nana believed prayer was “the most beautiful thing you could do for another person,” and that the support from strangers and fans mattered deeply to both of them. Laine said people saw Nana’s “kindness, gentleness and warmth” even through photos, describing those traits as constant, even during hardship.

Jenna Laine also thanked ESPN for stepping in immediately so she could be with her grandmother. She had spent time with Nana before the game, during what would become her final hours. “Nana believed in hard work and she LOVED her Bucs,” Laine wrote, adding that her grandmother would not have wanted her to miss the assignment.

One detail stood above the rest. Laine shared that she was the last person to pray with Nana. The prayer was to St. Padre Pio, the patron saint of pain, suffering, and healing. Laine noted that his presence is often associated with the smell of roses. When her aunt later said she smelled roses, Laine believed it was Nana’s way of speaking.

“Her faith was everything to her,” Jenna Laine wrote. “She was everything to us.”

The response didn’t stop with her words. It shifted to the comments, where fans quietly gathered to offer comfort and prayer.

Fans rally around Jenna Laine with messages of prayer and support

As Laine shared the news of her grandmother’s passing, the comments section quickly filled with messages that carried the same tone: sympathy, prayers, and quiet solidarity. 

Many fans addressed Nana directly, offering rest and peace. “Sorry for the loss of your lovely Nana. May she R.I.P.,” one wrote, setting the tone for dozens of similar messages. Others focused on comfort, urging Jenna Laine to lean on memories. “May your memories together bring you peace during this difficult time,” another fan shared, pairing the words with prayer and heart emojis.

Several comments centered on prayer, echoing Nana’s own belief in its power. “Prayers to you and your family,” one message read, adding hope that her life would be celebrated “with joy and adulation.” Another simply wrote, “So sorry for your loss. 🙏🏻,” letting the symbol speak louder than any paragraph.

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Some messages were short and personal, stripped of flourish. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Jenna. Thinking of you and your family in this difficult time.” Others echoed the same sentiment in fewer words: “Thinking about you and your family 🙏🏼.”

What stood out most was the consistency: different voices all carried the same message of support without intrusion. In a space often dominated by reaction and argument, the moment became a collective pause. A reminder that behind the reporting, there’s a person. And behind the headlines, there’s a family saying goodbye.