ChiefsPlanet - News Springfield Chiefs Fan Paying It Forward

https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-ne...ASvbiWKesu8JwA

SPRINGFIELD — A mystery fan has been making *memories* for young chiefs fans all season long…

A persons first Arrowhead experience is one that is usually pretty special. This season, a fan has been doing his part to ensure first-timers have a great time by approaching families and buying jerseys for kids at their first game, then disappearing.

One of the families on the receiving end of that random act of kindness was William Medley, 11, and his father Matt Medley.

The father and son attended their first game together at Arrowhead Stadium a couple of weeks ago to watch the Chiefs advance to the Super Bowl.

Little did they know, it would be memorable for another reason as well.

A man on a mission to spread positivity did so, by getting William his first jersey, but William and Matt didn’t see the man again.

“We were about to grab food and go back to our seats, and I get a jersey,” William explains.

“I would like to talk to him again, and tell him what it meant to my son,” his father Matt says.

That mystery man, is Shannon Shank. He lives in Springfield, and says his motive is simple. He just wants to do more for people.

“I tried to come up with a way — how am I going to do that? My father passed away in November of 2018, and he would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you wanted it… not even needed it,” says Shank.

Shannon made a plan to channel that in his own way at the beginning of the season.

“So at the home opener, I kind of wandered around the concourse a little nervous because I’m walking up to a stranger and saying,’Hey is it your first time? Yeah? Does he have a jersey? No? Can I buy him one?’ I know they are thinking, ‘OK what’s the catch?’ I said, ‘No catch. I love this place, I just want to create a memorable experience for everyone that comes here, and that’s kind of how it’s gone every game since then,” Shank explains.

Now, several kids have memories beyond what they saw on the field, and William wants Shannon to know he is grateful.

“Thank you so much. If I could do anything to repay you I would,” William told WDAF in Kansas City this week.

Thursday, Shannon responded.

“You are more than welcome. There is absolutely no need to repay me, there is nothing to repay. Pay it forward,” Shank says.

Shank hopes people will spread positivity, and that’s the only thing he wants to get across with this gesture.

“People will forget what you did, people will forget what you said, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Hopefully I made them stop and think, and they’ll do something positive to keep it moving,” Shank says.

Shank says he was hesitant to do an interview because he didn’t want to make it about himself at all, but was coerced by his friends and coworkers to respond to William’s message.