Vikings fans donate $170,000 to Saints punter's foundation
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - New Orleans Saints Punter Thomas Morstead is getting a big boost to his charitable foundation from an unexpected source: fans of an opposing team. When Morstead was injured during the NFC Divisional Round game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Saints, but still played despite the pain, Vikings fans were so inspired by his toughness and sportsmanship they decided to donate to his charity for children with cancer.
Vikings fans have have now raised more than $170,000 and counting for Morstead’s charity, What You Give Will Grow, which helps support treatment and other services for children battling cancer.
Morstead told Fox 9, “It’s been wild… You always look at that and think, ‘Wow, that’s just really special,’ when everybody, I guess gets emotionally pulled all towards kind of a common goal of helping something or someone.”
The Saints and Vikings organizations also announced they were teaming up to donate an additional $10,000 to Morstead’s foundation. Morstead was so impressed by the outpouring of support that he says he will now return to Minnesota during the Super Bowl week to donate that money back to Children’s Minnesota, a hospital based in Minneapolis and St. Paul.