Children's Minnesota's big thank you for Saints punter Thomas Morstead

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The doctors, nurses, staff, patients and families at Children’s Minnesota are sending a big thank you to New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead, who plans to return to Minneapolis during the Super Bowl to present a donation to the hospital’s Child Life Program. In less than one week since the Minnesota Vikings’ win over the Saints, Vikings fans have donated more than $200,000 to Morstead’s foundation, What You Give Will Grow.

Morstead was the first Saints player to come back out on to the field to defend the NFL-mandated point-after-touchdown attempt. Morstead suffered torn cartilage on the right side of his ribs during the game, but continued playing. Moved by the sportsmanship shown by Morstead, a Vikings fan encouraged others to donate to the punter's foundation. Overwhelmed by the support, Morstead announced the money would go to Children's Minnesota.

Children’s Minnesota posted their thank you message in a Facebook video: “Hey Thomas Morstead our little Skoldiers have a message for you!” 

“It’s been pretty wild,” Morstead said in a Skype interview with Fox 9 Sports. “Every now and then you’ll see a viral story where a tremendous amount of support and people get behind a certain cause. You always look at that and think, wow that’s just really special. Everybody I guess just gets emotionally pulled toward a common goal of helping something or someone. Certainly I never thought that would be the case for anything I was involved in, so it’s been tremendous and I just can’t thank (enough) all of the people up in Minnesota and Vikings fans.”

For more information and to donate, click here.