Atlanta Falcons rookie Takk McKinley visited a children’s hospital on Tuesday. But before signing autographs for the kids there, he did something unusual. McKinley asked the kids if he could have their autographs.
.@Takk asks youth for their autographs before offering his own. 🖊#ATLHometownHuddle pic.twitter.com/xBxgnCe1eK
— Falcons In The Community (@FalconsCR) September 19, 2017
“I just thought it would be cool if I got their autographs,” McKinley said, via Kelsey Conway of AtlantaFalcons.com. “They were kind of shocked like ‘you’re supposed to be signing my stuff.’ It just made them smile to put their name on my helmet. It’s bigger than me. I just thought it would be nice.”
McKinley, who experienced plenty of hardships growing up, feels honored that he gets to help kids going through even greater hardships.
“It means a lot,” he said, per Conway. “Those kids are going through things way worse than what I’ve been through. For me to just come in and just put a smile on their face, it means a lot.”
McKinley should be commended all around. Anything that can put a smile on these kids’ face is a good thing. If he found a way to make them feel even more special, more power to him.