Dallas Cowboys players and cheerleaders bring gifts to kids in local hospitals

DALLAS - The Dallas Cowboys teamed up with children’s hospitals in North Texas Monday to spread holiday cheer to children in North Texas.

Players and cheerleaders visited young patients at Children’s Medical Center, Medical City Children’s Hospital, and Scottish Rite in Dallas, as well as Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth.

They were decked out in Christmas attire to mark the occasion and gave each child a stocking gift bag loaded with gifts from the team.

The goal: spreading cheer to young patients hospitalized over the holidays.

"All you've got to do is go out there and put a smile on somebody's face. They put a bigger smile on our faces to be honest," said wide receiver Michael Gallup.

Hospital officials said the short visits go a long way to uplift their patients’ spirits.

"Being here in the hospital is extremely difficult, so having special visitors to come make things just a little bit easier and take a little bit of a load off is really special to them," said Samantha Kleiman, a certified child life specialist at Medical City Dallas. "Immediately they enter that room, and a giant smile is put on their faces lighting up the entire room. And it becomes contagious, and it just changes the entire morale of not only that individual patient’s room but then that unit and then it spreads throughout the hospital as a whole."

The time spent with players was greatly appreciated by the kids.

"I got a lot. I got the mascot. I got Tony Pollard. I got all of the big guys," said Hudson Marks, a patient at Cook Children's.

When he's healthier, Marks plays football at school.

He's hoping to be out of the hospital by New Year's.

For now, Marks is soaking up the one-on-one time with players. 

"They seem to care," said parent Heather Farris. "They came and sat down and talked to them and try to find out a little bit more of the kids that were here."

The personal interaction was also a win for the players who participated.

"Oh, I have a lot of fun out here. It's a great time out here in Fort Worth. Get to spend some time with the kids and everything. Getting to meet with some parents," said receiver Jalen Brooks.

"It's amazing. Just thankful to God that we can have this opportunity to come out and spread love in the community," said defensive end Demarcus Lawrence.

It’s the 34th year the Cowboys have taken part in the holiday hospital outreach program.