College basketball coaches send out countless letters this time of year, most of them to potential recruits. But last week, North Carolina coach Roy Williams sent a different kind of letter.

It was addressed to Charlie Humphries, a lifelong Tar Heels fan and father of three, who's in the midst of a three-year battle with melanoma.

“It was totally out of the blue," Humphries told ESPN.com. "I know he’s extremely busy this time of year. It really surprised me and meant a lot to me.”

Humphries -- who could recognize the distinct hue of Carolina Blue before he was 2 years old -- receives words of encouragement every day, but this one was different.

"It brought me to tears," Humphries said. "It wasn't a broad letter. It was personal."