OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — An Overland Park family who holds Kansas City Chiefs season tickets recently received a sweet surprise from players.
“Gracie Hunt posted it, now the Chiefs posted, and then it kept escalating," Chris Hernandez said. "NBC Sports and CBS Sports reposted, and some of these posts had 80,000 likes and comments."
KSHB 41's Megan Abundis met Hernandez in his Overland Park home.
“This is what we call our Chiefs basement,” Chris Hernandez said. “Over the years, we’ve added a lot to it, and we’ve celebrated a couple Super Bowls here. Lots of fun, lots of family gatherings."
VOICE FOR EVERYONE | Share your voice with KSHB 41’s Megan Abundis
Autographed jerseys and memorabilia cover the basement walls.
Hernandez says it’s things that remind them just how how exciting the Kansas City Chiefs can be.
"I just like it cause it has a bunch of action," said Estelle Hernandez, Chris' Hernandez 8-year-old daughter.
Chris Hernandez said the Chiefs are more than just a team for his family.
“Sometimes, I ask, are we too invested? Do we prioritize this too much? And then I think about it — there’s a lot of bad stuff going on in the world these days, and if there’s something that brings us all together around something positive and fun, even if it’s a few hours a week where we get all crazy about the Chiefs, then it’s worth it,” Chris Hernandez said.
Estelle Hernandez has a passion for the Chiefs that matches her fathers.
“I like it cause it’s the loudest stadium and we are really good," she said. "I like watching the players practice and come out of the tunnel."
Especially last weekend in Minnesota. Hernandez and his daughter traveled to Minnesota and were in for a great treat at the end of the game.
“It’s not mine. I’ve been corrected a couple of times already — they aren’t my gloves,” Chris Hernandez said.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce gave his gloves to Estelle Hernandez.
“These are the Kelce ones; they are kind of big; he’s an XXXL,” Estelle Hernandez said while holding up the gloves.
A fired up Kelce was videotaped coming off the field after a second half touchdown.
“She’s yelling, you can see her working the Chiefs,” Chris Hernandez said.
Estelle Hernandez described the moments before Kelce gave her the glove.
“He’s loud and I’m loud, it kind of mixes good together,” Estelle Hernandez said. “I was like glove, glove, glove and trying to get his attention and stuff."
Estelle Hernandez standing at the tunnel, got many players attention.
"[Kadarius] Toney's gloves and [Isiah] Pacheco’s glove,” she said.
In a video, Estelle Hernandez can be heard saying, “Yeah, thank you. Thank you."
“For that moment, I think she felt like the luckiest girl in the world, for that one brief moment,” Chris Hernandez said.
A ride on cloud nine.
“My face was in shock,” she said. “The gloves were big with pad on the front, it said 'Killer Trav' in it."
Chris Hernandez said it's just another father-daughter moment he'll cherish.
“It was a perfect daddy-daughter moment,” he said.
Chris Hernandez said he hopes to one day thank the Chiefs for how much hapiness they've brought to his family.
“I always think about this — If I ever had the chance to meet Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce, what would I do? The reality is, as a father, now I’d love to just say thank you, shake their hand, and say you’ve provided so much for my family, so much happiness.”
—
