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Listen to this episode of Savoring Sweetness: The Walter Payton Podcast in the player above.

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Walter Payton treated his daughter Brittney like a princess. Whether it was taking her on a daddy daughter trip to the Mall of America, learning how to put her hair in braids, or just watching Eddie Murphy movies together at home, Walter’s sweeter side came out around his baby girl.

Losing him at such a young age was tough. Having to go through it all in the public spotlight wasn’t easy either, but Brittney felt Bears fans warm embrace.

“He was ours. He was our dad. But, there was a piece of him that the entire city and his fans held, too. Just like they were there supporting him through everything. I felt like they were there supporting us. They wanted to know. They were grieving along with us. It was this special bond we all shared.”