A Different Kind of Gameday for Officer Justin Beal

It’s gameday in Tuscaloosa. Normally, University of Alabama Police Officer Justin Beal would be standing on the sidelines at Bryant-Denny Stadium, greeting fans and helping keep thousands of people safe. But this Saturday looks very different.

Instead of patrolling the stadium, Justin is lying in a hospital bed at UAB, recovering from a grueling 16-hour surgery. Just weeks ago, he learned that his cancer had returned. Doctors found a tumor in his sinus cavity, and removing it required a complex procedure that took part of his jaw and palate. Surgeons rebuilt his face using bone and tissue from his back.

His wife, Christina, never left his side. She spent every hour of the operation in the waiting room, holding onto hope. “He’s doing so well,” she said early Saturday morning. “He’s tough. The doctors are confident. We’re just taking it one day at a time.”

Justin now has a tracheostomy to help him breathe and a feeding tube to keep his strength up while he heals. He can’t speak yet, but his determination is louder than any words.

For years, Justin has been a familiar, friendly face at Alabama football games. Rain or shine, he’s been part of the game day security team, ensuring fans could enjoy each moment safely. This weekend, his fight isn’t on the sidelines—it’s in a hospital room, against something far more personal.

As the Tide takes the field and fans fill Bryant-Denny, Justin is facing his own battle with courage and quiet strength. He’s a husband, a father, and a hero whose greatest test is happening away from the roar of the crowd.

Because sometimes the most meaningful victories don’t happen under stadium lights. They happen in moments of pain and perseverance—in hospital rooms where hope, faith, and love are the loudest cheers of all.