As his wife wept in the stands, Australia's century-maker Alex Carey removed his helmet and glanced to the heavens.
Carey, fearing being overwhelmed, later didn't want to go "into too much depth" about his emotional reaction to his home-town ton against England in Adelaide.
"I think you know the reasons why," Carey told reporters after his sterling 106 on day one of the third Test.
"I'll probably get emotional now."
Carey's father Gordon passed away in September after a lengthy battle with leukaemia.
And his dad was in the forefront of his thoughts when he scored his third century in Test cricket.
With his feat, Carey (671 runs) became Australia's top Test run-scorer this calendar year, ahead of specialist batsmen Steve Smith (618) and Travis Head (589).
On reaching the century, his wife Eloise dabbed at tears in the grandstand, with his children Loius and Clementine among the Carey clan at Adelaide Oval.
"They would have been proud, yeah," Carey said.
"They love coming to the game of cricket and watching me play.
"My kids were here, and Eloise, and Mum and nieces and nephews, brothers, sisters - it would have been, I guess, a really nice moment for them.
"You walk out to bat every time trying to make a hundred and to be able to do that today was fantastic.
"Also understanding it would be nice to still be there at the end (of play) but yeah, the family would be proud."
Carey's latest achievement came at No.6 in the batting order, justifying his desire to bat as high as possible.
The South Australian's highest Test score - 156 against Sri Lanka in Galle in February - came at No.5 in the order.
Carey was lifted from his usual No.7 slot to bat a rung higher in the second Ashes Test in Brisbane and made a crucial 63 in Australia's first innings.
And again in Adelaide, the 34-year-old who is considered the world's best wicketkeeper revelled in greater responsibility with the bat.
"I prepare the same way. I don't shift in mindset ... whatever wicket I have got to go pad up, it all feels the same," he said.
Carey survived a flashpoint when, on 72, England believed the lefthander was caught behind from Josh Tongue's bowling.
Given not out, the tourists reviewed and replays showed a noise spike before the ball reached Carey's bat.
"It looked a bit funny on the replay, didn't it, with the noise coming early," he said.
"If I was given out, I think I would have reviewed it - probably not confidently, though. There was a nice sound as it passed the bat.
"It's just the way cricket goes sometimes, isn't it, you have a bit of luck and maybe it went my way today."
AUSTRALIA'S TOP TEST RUN-SCORERS THIS CALENDAR YEAR:
* Alex Carey: 671 runs at 51.61
* Steve Smith: 618 at 58.43
* Travis Head: 589 at 34.64
* Usman Khawaja: 545 at 38.92
* Beau Webster: 381 at 34.63
