MACON, Ga. — Patients at the Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital welcomed a special visitor on Friday: Super Bowl champion Malik Herring.
The Monroe County native and Kansas City Chiefs defensive end stopped by to sign footballs and show off one of the two Super Bowl rings he's earned playing for the Chiefs.
JoAnne Kennedy is the director of the inpatient floor at the hospital and was the one who organized Herring's visit.
She's been a Chiefs fan for over 30 years and said it was an honor to see Malik interact with the young patients.
"So I've been a Chiefs fan for over 30 years. I used to live in Kansas City, Missouri...and Macon is now my hometown, but my hometown team is still the Chiefs," she said.
She says her hairdresser knows Herring's family, and Malik and his mom were more than happy to make the visit happen.
"They immediately said yes, and made it so seamless and easy to have them come up and visit," she said.
Herring lit up the room, and was one of those people who you can't help but smile with when they talk to you.
He said it made him happy to come home and brighten the days of kids and their families.
"Yeah, it was very great... interacting with the kids...as soon as I come in and see their smile, their smile is just as big as mine, and um...just to see me brighten their day, it just helps you look back on the small things in life," Herring said.
He visited several kids and families in their rooms, and even went back inside to take pictures with folks in the lobby who heard he was there and came down to see him.
Herring played high school football with the Mary Persons Bulldogs, and on Saturday the city of Forsyth will celebrate Malik with a pep rally and parade in his honor starting at 1 p.m.