Blair Walsh Gracefully Visits First Graders Who Sent Him Encouraging Letters After Shanked Kick

Yesterday, we brought you the story of first graders at Minnesota’s Northpoint Elementary School writing letters of encouragement to Blair Walsh after he missed 27-yard chip shot against the Seahawks to the end the Vikings’ season.

“For Blair Walsh: Keep on trying. Puppies are cute,” one student so eloquently wrote.

The letters were most likely used as an exercise of compassion and empathy and not as a tool to bait the NFL kicker into showing up to the elementary school to personally thank the children.

But that’s exactly what the 26-year-old University of Georgia alum did.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?” Walsh said with a wave as he entered a room full of thirty or so children.

“Thank you very much for all the letters and cards you wrote,” he told the kids. “It was very touching to me. … A lot of them were very pretty and creative. … I will cherish them forever. I take accountability and ownership. And that’s a big lesson for you.”

Walsh opened up the floor for questioning after saying his bit and the questions were predictably lunacy coming from first graders’ mouths.

“Do you have a guinea pig?” one student eagerly asked, to which Blair responded “No, but my family has a poodle.”

The Pro Bowl kicker then took the time to sign Blair Walsh trading cards, miniature Vikings helmets and other miscellaneous items for the kids.

Can this dude have possibly handled this any more gracefully? Tip of the cap to Blair. Whatta guy.

P.S. A little perspective.

[h/t For the Win]