The Minnesota Vikings may be struggling on the field in the early stages of the season but tight end Kyle Rudolph still finds ways to make an impact off the field. He recently surprised seven-year-old Vikings fan, Haakyn Mohr who was a cancer survivor with a personal video call, according to the team's website.
In January of 2019, Haakyn received unfortunate news which revealed that he had a tumor the size of a football on his kidney. He was immediately referred to Children's Minnesota, where he was diagnosed with Wilm's, a rare kidney cancer.
Haakyn recently underwent surgery to remove the kidney and tumor, followed by 28 weeks of aggressive rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. He is now on the road to recovery and was just declared as cancer-free before starting kindergarten.
Kyle Rudolph is currently committed to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and is in a partnership with the American Cancer Society to raise awareness for pediatric cancers. He also shared that his younger brother Casey also battled and survived cancer as an infant.
Haakyn's dad, Ryan, also shared his sentiments regarding his son's experiences while battling the sickness:
“For a kid who didn't even understand what the ‘C-word' is, it's certainly a life-changer,” said Haakyn's dad, Ryan. “But this little guy, we've always called him the life-changer because he's constantly positive, he's always going, and I think he was an inspiration for not only us but our community. He just plowed right through it. It definitely gives us a new [outlook] on life.”
Kyle Rudolph ended the call by inviting Haakyn and his family to a future game at the Vikings' U.S. Bank stadium as an active contributor to the NFL's ongoing Crucial Catch campaign.
Similar to Haakyn, individuals like Kyle Rudolph prove that they are more than mere football personalities and they have the ability to serve as powerful inspirations to many fans across the world.
The invaluable impact that they can leave on their supporters shows that their presence goes beyond the game of football.
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