Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kevin Williams strikes fear in the eyes of his opponents most weeks, but on Wednesday morning he spent some time bringing smiles and happiness to patients at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
With an often imposing 6-5, 311-pound presence, Williams was instead a gentle giant with the children, spending several minutes with dozens patients and their families. He posed in pictures, signed autographs and simply made conversation with young children who had greatly anticipated his arrival all week.
“Oh my gosh,” Jeanine Clapsaddle, MA, Child Life Specialist at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota said. “They were waiting in play room this morning at 8:00 saying ‘Where is he? Where is he?’ They were up early today, making sure they got the things done they needed to in order to see him and be with him today.”
Williams said he may have been just as excited to see the children as they were to see him.
“Anything I can do to brighten up the days of these kids, I’m willing to do,” Williams said. “Whether it’s just stopping in the room to see them or signing an autograph, it something I want to do and I look forward to coming here and trying to bring a smile or two to their faces.”
As part of the visit, Williams participated in the hospital’s closed circuit television show that is broadcast to each patient’s room in both Children’s Hospital locations --Minneapolis and St. Paul. Children will have the chance to call in and ask Williams questions.
“It’s so exciting that Kevin can be here because it brings new activities to the kids in the hospital,” Clapsaddle said. “It gets them up out of bed and moving. It gives them something to look forward to in the future and follow as they watch Kevin play for the Vikings.”