-- There’s good news, and then there’s the kind of news that makes you brave enough to hug Nick Saban.

That’s how good Alabama long snapper Carson Tinker felt when he was surprised Monday with an “answered prayer.”

Tinker, who has been at the front of Alabama’s efforts to aid Tuscaloosa in its recovery from the April 27, 2011 tornadoes, was called into Saban’s office Monday for an unexpected, one-on-one meeting. He left with a scholarship, something he’s dreamt of acquiring since the day he walked on with the Crimson Tide in 2008.

“You really have to earn it, so it's an honor,” Tinker said. “It's an answered prayer, honestly. I'm very thankful.”

And with that kind of news, Saban earned a hug from Tinker.

“I think that made him feel a little awkward,” Tinker said with a broad smile splashed across his face.

Tinker was just another unassuming Alabama walk-on until the tragic events of last year’s tornadoes personally affected him. His girlfriend, Ashley Harrison, was killed when she and Tinker were thrown 100 yards from the closet inside his house, which was destroyed.

Instead of ducking away from the attention, Tinker was out in front of it. His story was retold in great detail by Sports Illustrated and he was an active member in all of Alabama’s community service endeavors. He visited with a 10-year-old boy whose mother, father and sister were killed by the tornado.

“It really is inspiring to see the impact I can have on people outside football,” Tinker said. “I've said this a long time ago and it's been my mantra: to be a blessing to people. That's something I try to do every day.”

At last year’s college football awards show, Tinker, on Alabama’s behalf, accepted the Disney Spirit Award, which honored the Crimson Tide for its recovery efforts.

“We're very excited that we're able to award a guy that has been such a positive influence in so many ways,” Saban said. “Personally, academically and athletically in our program.”

The scholarship, Tinker said, meant just as much to his parents, who have moved multiple times since his freshman year of high school in Decatur. After a few years in Murfreesboro, Tenn. -- where Tinker played football at Riverdale High -- his family relocated to Birmingham in 2010, a move that allowed him to pay in-state tuition.

The relief that came from paying out-of-state to in-state tuition was nothing compared to what Tinker’s paying now.

“They were fired up. It's a big relief on them,” Tinker said. “They can kind of focus on things financially that they've been wanting to focus on … I'm happy for them because they can take care of some of the stuff they've been wanting to take care of.”

His father, Carleton, started a new job Monday.

“It's pretty good in my family right now,” Tinker said.

This isn’t Tinker’s first scholarship offer, as he was courted during high school by Washington State and “a lot of those directional schools.” Tinker, though, was sold on Alabama when he and Carleton took in an Alabama game against Ole Miss during his sophomore year of high school.

“They had the houndstooth, the collars on the jerseys,” Tinker said. “Just walking around and watching everybody tailgate, I said 'Daddy, I want to play at a school like this. This is where I want to be.’”

Tinker nearly walked on at LSU -- “Things would have been a lot different then,” he said. -- but he ultimately chose Alabama. Saban told him that a scholarship could come available if he won the starting job, which he did as a sophomore in 2010.

Nothing, though, was ever guaranteed.

“I knew coming in it was going to be tough,” Tinker said. “Every good player wants to come here. There's no question as to why they want to come here. I knew that I'd have to be patient.”

That patience was recognized by more than just the man he hugged Monday.

“Carson has been through a lot and he's bounced back really well from everything he's been through and all that life's thrown at him, all the adversity,” quarterback AJ McCarron said. “He's done a great job of handling everything.”