photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas coach Bill Self speaks during a news conference following the NCAA Tournament selection show on CBS, Sunday, March 13, 2016. The Jayhawks were given the No. 1 seed in the South Regional and will play Austin Peay on Thursday in Des Moines.

Bill Self is a popular and busy man around Lawrence, but the Kansas basketball coach doesn’t mind taking some time to boost the spirits of a young fan.

A short video message from Self began making the rounds on Facebook Monday.

The coach wished a bleated happy birthday to a young fan named Brooklyn, who, as the KU coach pointed out, had to celebrate from a hospital room.

“I know you’ve been going through a
little bit of a rough stretch here
recently,” Self says to the young
Jayhawks fan in the video, “and your
lungs are filling with blood right
now, but I’m sure they’ll get that
straightened out.

“But I just wanted to wish you a happy
birthday. I hope you’re doing fine. I
know that’s gotta get you down a
little bit, especially on an important
day like this.

“But I’m sure mom and dad are gonna
take care of you in a big, big way.”

And, in typical Self fashion, the coach found a way to really personalize the interaction.

“I wish my players were just half as
tough as what you are,” Self told the
youngster.

Watch Self’s message below: